


Turnabout

by spiritwolf71



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-07
Updated: 2013-01-26
Packaged: 2017-11-18 04:34:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 55,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/556958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiritwolf71/pseuds/spiritwolf71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard has destroyed the Reapers and disappeared. Most have gone back to some sort of normal life, but Liara just can't let go. I will try for at least one chapter a week if not more. Any critism is welcome as well as thoughts and ideas. Please note that any of the explicit stuff is in terms with the story and not in every chapter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The vehicle had come out of nowhere. Liara had watched Shepard's narrow escape from the path of a tossed Mako, but had missed seeing the vehicle that came for her. Barely escaping being crushed under the wreckage, she was not without injury. She had hurt her leg and broke two ribs, taking her out of the rush for the beam.

They had just finished fighting their way to the missiles and defended them as endless Reaper troops tried to stop them. It had all been a nightmare, but she would never forget the terrible screech of the grossly disfigured Asari. It was a sound that would haunt her for the rest of her life. 

They had made it through the chaos and taken down the destroyer. It had been a small victory but one that seemed to give everyone a sense of renewed hope, like they just might be able to win this war. It was a rail they road as they all charged to the beam in a final push. Even while living the experience it had felt like a dream. 

They had lost so many, but it was almost over. Just one last push but she Garrus had been eliminated by a flying vehicle coming from nowhere.

Shepard had called the Normandy to return and helped them board when it arrived. Liara was almost up the ramp when Shepard released her and turned back.

“You got to get out of here,” Shepard had said. Liara was more than aware Garrus was holding her up, had he not been she would have fallen. She knew she was out of the fight; there was nothing she could do. She would only slow Shepard. The thought of Cayle running of and leaving her behind once again prompted her to call out. 

“I’m all right, Shepard,” She argued, they both knew she was not.

“Don’t argue with me Liara,” Cayle stated firmly.

“You’re not leaving me behind.” Again, she almost added, she knew she was not talking about being left behind for the battle. She knew there was a good chance she was never going to see her lover again. Shepard would run off and she would be gone. She felt more pain in her chest then she did in her leg or ribs, her heart threatened to beat right out of her chest.

Shepard turned back and looked her and the whole battle field seemed to grow quiet. For a few brief seconds there were only two people in the whole world, the rest was just back ground. Cayle did not even need to say anything; her eyes conveyed the love she felt. “No matter what happens, you mean everything to me Liara,” She said as she climbed back up the ramp and took held her hand. She looked deeply into Liara’s eyes. “You always will.” She whispered as she cupped her check and kisses her briefly on the lips.  
Liara could barely form words. “Shepard, I, I am yours,” she managed, but could not get anything more out.

Cayle released her hand and smiled. “I know.” With that she turned and ran back towards the beam and out of Liara’s life. She and Garrus were left behind as the ramp to the cargo bay doors closed, neither of them able to speak. When the ramp finally clicked shut Liara’s heart broke, but she was still frozen in place, they both were. They stood there until Doctor Chakwas came and retrieved them personally.

It had been like a dream, except that it had been real.

Five years had passed but Liara relived those final moments every morning when she woke and it was her final thoughts as she lay down to go to bed. She could close her eyes and could see Cayle as if the woman was standing right in front of her. She yearned for her constantly, to hold her hand, to look into her deep and caring blue eyes and to run her hands over her smooth skin and through her thick black hair. 

She missed everything about her and no amount of talking, or therapy had been able to bring her closure. It did not help that Shepard’s body had never been found. There had been lots of people who had died during the war who had never been found. Shepard had been at the heart of the catalyst when it had exploded, that whole area of the citadel had been pretty much destroyed. Even knowing that Liara had never been able to fully believe Shepard was gone.

There had been a memorial on the Normandy prior to leaving Thedius, the planet they had crashed on. As Cayle’s lover, she had been tasked to place her name plate on the Normandy’s memorial wall. She had been unable to, placing it on the wall would be like hammering a nail in Shepard’s coffin. Not that it mattered; once the ceremony was complete Ashley had been tasked with placing it just above Andersons.

Liara drew a deep breath as she stood from her desk and moved to the large viewport that graced her office. Being the combination of the Shadow Broker, a Prothean expert and a scientist pretty much kept her busy. It was rare that she had a moment to just sit alone and think. She didn’t like to have spare time.

Once, Shepard had warned her about becoming a creepy hermit as the Shadow Broker, they had both laughed about it. Now the joke was on her, it was exactly what she had become. Save for the occasional visit from her friends, mostly Garrus and Tali, she was always alone.

It would be even pathetic if she did not have purpose, but she had found herself one. She had been tracking and tracing several leads on Cerberus. They had become even more powerful as most planets struggled to rebuild from the Reaper Invasion. They had taken over Omega prior to the war and had a base somewhere on the other side of the Omega 4 relay. The Illusive Man was dead; however there was always someone ready to fill a seat of power. Liara was determined to find out whom that someone was.  
Shepard had been vocal in her displeasure with Cerberus. She had always been frustrated that the Illusive Man worked against her instead of with her; always been convinced that had they worked together the Reapers would not have been a threat. For a while, Liara was convinced the Illusive man believed that also, which was why he brought Shepard back, why he had helped them to the Collectors base, but then he had changed; been indoctrinated.

As much as Liara knew about the Illusive Man, she knew nothing about whomever it was that replaced him. She just knew that Cerberus had taken advantage of the weakened state of all the council races and their allies. The council forces had already found and destroyed a few, new, Cerberus bases but there seemed no end to them. Liara was determined to find that end.

The door to her office opened and her assistant appeared carrying her lunch. Not that Liara was hungry; she barely ate at the best of times. Falere had made it her job to make sure Liara remained healthy. The Shadow Broker had rescued her from a life of solitude, gave her a job and a purpose, which did not involve a lot of interaction with others. Not that Falere, an Ardat-Yakshi, was like her sister Morinth. She did not use her condition to kill people and use their essence to grow stronger. She was perfectly able to control her urges. Like Liara though, she had never been the same since the loss of someone she loved.

“You need to eat,” Falere said standing by the food. It was silent for a long moment and Falere looked down to Liara’s desk and picked up a pad. She frowned. “You have still not responded to Admiral Hackett, the memorial.”

Liara looked back to the other woman. “I am still thinking about it,” she answered. It would be nice to see the old crew again but she was still unwilling to concede that Shepard was dead. “I have a new lead on Kai Leng. I will miss an opportunity if I go to the memorial.” They both knew she was lying; she could follow up on that lead at any time.

“Liara,” Falere began. “It’s not just for Cayle. It’s for everyone that gave their life. Admiral Anderson will be mentioned as well, you really liked him. Even if you want to believe Shepard is alive, you can go for him and for her friends.”  
“I will think about it. Thank you,” Liara dismissed her and looked to the food.

Five years, she was only a hundred and fourteen; she had her whole life ahead of her. She could not see past her pain to move on. So much had changed in five years but Liara had remained the same.

The council had been re-established, without the Salarians. Although small pockets of Salarians had come forth and helped with the war effort, the Dalatrass had not aided the allies and that had never been forgotten. Instead, the Quarians had taken their place.  
The Quarians had soon become the most important race in the galaxy with their engineering expertise. They were the ones that finally managed the repairs, not only on the Mass Effect relays but to the citadel. They had managed to reboot the Geth and Tali had repaired EDI. If one did not look too hard they would not ever know that there had been a devastating war.

Liara moved back to her desk as her communicator rang at her. Looking at it for a long moment, she hoped it would stop, but it persisted. It was Garrus, she knew what he wanted. He and Tali would be going to the memorial and they would want to drag her with them. They pretty much dragged her everywhere. She often wondered where they found time to even look after her now that they had two adopted children to be responsible for. 

Liara smiled to herself at the thought. She was more than certain it would not have been Garrus’ idea to adopt. The Turian had spent the majority of his years fighting and rebelling, he would have been the first to admit that children scared him. It would had to been Tali’s suggestion, she was made to be a mother. It was cute, watch Garrus with them. As it turned out he was a great father. 

Finally, she answered the call and Garrus’ face appeared. She smiled to him and sat down. “I have not decided,” She said simply. 

“I haven’t even made a question yet!” Garrus said. He waved his hand. “And hi, how are you?”

“Tell her the children want to see her,” Tali was calling in the background somewhere. It was still strange to hear her voice without the metallic twinge the mask had once given her. Liara sighed.

“Everyone will be there,” Garrus said. She knew the rest of his speech. They had not been together since the Normandy had made its way back to Earth. Tali and Garrus had gone to Rannoch, where Tali had retired. Garrus was the Turrian Ambassador, next in line to be the Primarch. Everyone else had gone their separate ways.

Ashley was now the Commander of the Normandy, a fact that disturbed Liara slightly. Liara did not dislike Ashley. She just found that she could not talk with the woman. Shepard had always regretted working with Cerberus. It had been a necessary evil as the Alliance and the Council refused to do anything about the Human colonies disappearing in the Terminus systems. Cerberus was willing to throw the time and resources into eliminating the threat and Shepard had used them for that reason only.  
Ashley had refused to help Shepard and for some reason Cayle understood this. Ashley was loyal to the Alliance and could not see past that to understand what Cayle doing. That would have been fine if the Marine had not taken it a step further and openly distrusted Shepard. Not only during that mission but even when Shepard had returned Ashley was still highly vocal about her distrust in her superior officer. Shepard had made peace with Ashley long before the final battle, but Liara had always remembered and could not forget.

James had joined the N7 program; Liara kept tabs on him now and then, just because she still cared for him. Joker and EDI were still aboard the Normandy, EDI was still linked to the ship, even more so after her re boot. Javik had tried to settle into a normal life but was restless. He became an agent for Liara and was good at his job; however she always sensed a deep sadness in him.  
She kept less tabs on what she considered Shepard’s other team even though most of them were doing well. She watched Miranda, afraid of one of two outcomes; Cerberus would entice her back into their folds, or they would kill her. Liara did not like Miranda but Shepard had always considered her a sister.

“I don’t know Garrus, I have responsibilities and leads and…”

“Are still chasing Cerberus? You know that’s dangerous. You need to stop blaming them for Shepard.”

“I don’t,” She lied, “But they are still strong, stronger than all of us since the war and I think they need to be dealt with before they get worse. People didn’t listen when the Reapers were a threat and look what happened.”

“Liara,” Garrus said in that voice he used on his children.  
“No, Garrus don’t talk to me like that. I know things that most do not. I know only a little of what Cerberus is up to and even that makes me nervous. They have access to Omega 4 relay and the remains of the collectors’ base. They have not stopped trying to better humanity. We still find some of their husk army.”

“I’m not saying I don’t believe you, I’m just saying that you can’t take them on alone. There is a time and place and people are still rebuilding. Hell they just opened the Citadel, which will also be celebrated. It’s a big deal Liara and you need to be there, since Shepard can’t.”

There, he went and played the Shepard card, he knew she could not resist that. Yes, Shepard would have been there if she was still, alive. “That’s not fair.”

“Nothing ever is,” Garrus smiled, Liara could not help but smile back.

“I’ll get you back for that.”

“I love you too Liara. All the arrangements have been made and Tali and I will come and get you.”

“You’re not going to give me a chance to back out, are you?”

“No, not this time,” Garrus said simply.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note, in my game Leng was trying to get up as Shep left him so I always took that as meaning that he lived.

Chapter 2  
Cerberus had never had a problem finding suitors to finance their organization. When one would leave other would simply fill the void. Even now, when most of the galaxy was in economic ruins they were growing stronger. They were even more economically sound than the Salarians, who had not entered the war.

Losing the Illusive Man had been a blow. It had taken Cerberus the better part of a year to recover the reaper technology that had been stored on Cronos. Not that mattered, Reaper technology was all over the place now. Cerberus had lost their edge in that department. But it was the human reaper technology that Cerberus was interested in. Tens of thousands of humans had lost their lives to the construction of the Reaper it was only fair to find out what made it special.  
They had never been able to recover the whole human Reaper but they had managed to get back the important part. They had stolen back the power source, most of the mainframes and more importantly its weapon system.  
It had been moved back to the other side of the Omega 4 relay for safe keeping. 

For the first few months after the fall of the Illusive Man, things had been in total chaos. People were not sure what to think, should they run, should they stay. What did his death mean? A lot of people figured he was the head of Cerberus; for a certain faction of the group he was. Cerberus always kept their cells separate from each other with no one cell knowing about another. The Illusive Man had done some amazing things in his time, but he was certainly not the center of Cerberus.

After he had died the fight for his position had been brutal. Several suitors had vied for the spot and several suitors had been killed. Even now there was backstabbing and political assassinations. It was almost as if it would never end, almost.

It was a test of cunning and strength and the Ambassador had been playing it well. He remained in the background watching and learning. When he was ready he had put his pieces in play. He had manipulated and turned leaders against each other. He had allowed them to fight and tear at each other’s throat while he carefully manipulated played with them. His vision was so much more then petty politics. He would bring Humanity to its peak and watch them reign over the rest of the universe, because that was all that mattered.

He could tolerate aliens to a certain extent. They were useful as tools, to be put away when one was done with them. Cerberus had become too soft over the years. First; with allowing Aliens on the Normandy, allowing them to then leave the Normandy. Then, they had played a large part in the fall of the Illusive Man. The Ambassador would never have allowed any of that to happen.   
He shook his head slowly at his thought as he made his way down the hallway. He traveled lighter than most with only one briefcase and two others trailing behind him. His reputation was well known in the Cerberus circles and as expected, people scurried to get out of his way. He paid the no heed to them as he continued.

He reached the doors at the end of the hall and without even missing a step, pulled them opened and moved inside.

For a split second it was as if time seemed to freeze as ten pair of eyes turned to focus on him. He ignored all of them but the pair at the head of the table. Tyler Cain, the self-appointed head of Omega station. He watched in mild satisfaction as the man’s eyes widened. The Ambassador’s face did not change in the slightest as he brought a brief case up and rested it on the desk. The silence in the room was thick.

“Ambassador, we were not expecting you,” Tyler mumbled, sounding more like a child with his hand in the cookie jar than a Cerberus executor. 

The Ambassador was not a big man, average at best. What separated him from the rest and caused grown men to quake when he focused on them, were his eyes. His look of disappointment was often a death sentence and his piecing gaze of anger, a falling guillotine.

“No, I imagine you were not,” The Ambassador said as his two colleagues joined him in the room. They stood on either side of him like a sordid contrast. To his right the woman cross her hands in front of her and stood at ease, like a good soldier would. Her short blonde hair was neatly trimmed, as to not interfere in anyway. She wore a light grey business suit with a slight bulge on her right hip. A long sword hung from her back. Her face was emotionless and her green eyes were unwavering.

To his left, stood Kai Leng. He was much darker then the woman, with black armour and black messy hair tied into a pony tail. One could not really see his eyes through black visor he chose to wear. He carried no weapons that one could see. He also folded his hands in front of him.

“I would have prepared…” The business man started.

“Prepared what; a dossier on your failures,” The Ambassador started. He could smell the fear that was permeating the room, it was a wonderful aroma. He opened his briefcase and threw a pad on the desk. “You are weeks behind on the Tholian project. We are beginning to think that you lied to us about that, either that or you were too stupid to check you’re findings before sending them to us.” He threw another pad at him. “The Quarians have more information than we do on the Reapers. They were your responsibility as well, we have heard nothing.”

“Well, I, we were just discussing our findings on the Reapers. We have developed a whole new drive system…”

“That has failed in testing every single time,” The Ambassador interjected. “We have investors that are looking for results, not failures. We were ahead of the race when the Reaper war ended but you somehow; single handily, drove us back three years. This will not be tolerated. I will be taking over this branch of Cerberus and you and your pathetic board have been terminated.”

Without warning the two that had been following the Ambassador swirled into action. Kai Leng attacked the startled council from behind while the woman jumped on the table and struck from above. It took less than minute as they seemed to split the table. When the screaming and begging had stopped the woman held Tyler by the hair, her sword at his neck, The Ambassador moved forward.

“We will no longer tolerate failures in Cerberus.” He said simply and nodded to the woman. Her sword cut deep and fast and she stood back as the dying man fell to the floor. The Ambassador smiled to her as she looked into his eyes. The Ambassador turned to Kai Leng. “Now, talking about failure,” He said slowly.

The assassin took a few seconds to realize what was happening, “What?!?” The Ambassador would have loved to see the surprise in his eyes, but he wearing that annoying mask, as if he thought he was some sort of super hero.  
“You, Kai Leng, have a long list of failures, one that seems to grow larger yearly. You failed to kill the Salarian councillor. You failed to kill Miranda Lawson and you fail the Illusive Man on Cronos. That was just the beginning. Last year you failed to take out Ashley Williams, you almost lead Vikarrian to my base and a week ago Liara T’Soni found out your mission on the Citadel. This is not tolerated and you can consider yourself terminated. Lissa, please take care of business, then we can return home.”  
Lissa looked to Kai Leng dispassionately. Truth be told, she had always disliked the man. He was sure of himself, cocky, and had a tendency to underestimate everyone. That was probably the main reason why she was tasked to eliminate him. The Ambassador had informed her of his plan the day before and she was more than prepared. She did not underestimate him; she knew this would be a fight for her life.

Kai Leng was a fighter of immeasurable skill, he specialized in sword and hand combat, where she was more of a long distant assassin. Her skills with a Black Widow would be legendary, if people ever saw her. She was not one of those assassins that needed to leave a calling card. She had been learning hand to hand combat over the last few years, but she was nowhere near his level.

She waited until Kai Leng moved and quickly threw up a hand sabotaging his equipment, eliminating his kinetic barrier and palm weapon he liked to use. As if anticipating this, he disappeared. It would have been successful to except instead of running he chose to stay and try and kill her. She tilted her head slightly as she heard him removing his sword and raised her hand AGAIN. This time her omni tool appeared and a blast of fire emanated from its core.  
Leng was not as easy though, she knew it would come to close combat. She armed her own sword as Kai Leng jumped on the table and swung a foot out at her. She moved easily out of its way and raised her sword up. A loud metal twang filled the room as the two swords met. Kai Leng looked down to her.

“Well, this is disheartening,” he said. He talked too much. That was another thing she disliked about him. “I thought we were going to be good friends,” And then there was this crush he seemed to have on her.

“Not today,” she replied. The exchanged another series of attacks as they moved down the table. They were both winded by the time it was over.

“You sword play has improved.” He said getting in her defence and landing his knee in her solar plexus. The air rushed out of her lung but she managed to roll out of the way. “Hand to hand though.”

He came at her with the sword again. She had already had enough of this fight and she moved with his momentum letting him think he was making her back pedal. She quickly reached out and grabbed him and used his momentum to throw him over top of her as she fell to the ground. She stood quickly removing her pistol from its holster. When she turned to fire he had cloaked. She froze, listening but heard nothing, he was running, something he should have done to begin with.

She moved quickly to the door to pursue but The Ambassador stopped her. She looked to him confused. After all his speeches about failure he was not going to let her finish him.

“Sir?” she asked confused.

“There will be time later, Lissa. He will have his own purpose to fill,” he said and smiled. “Your performance was very good, please call in the cleaner and notify these people that they are to meet me in this room tomorrow.” He handed her a pad.

“Thank you, Sir,” she was not convinced, leaving a threat alive was just asking for trouble. The Ambassador had already made his way out of the room. She took a second to look at the mess they had left behind. Her arm came up and her omni tool flash at her. She proceeded to call the people the Ambassador had asked her to. When she was done she left the room, closing the doors shut behind her. She looked down the hallway as people tried to go about their business pretending they did not see the blood that covered her.

“I need to wear red next time,” she mumbled to herself and made her way back to the ship. Lissa barely got down the hall when her communicator went off. The Assassin paused in her movements and answered answer it.  
“This is not over Lissa,” it was Kai Leng. She smiled slightly; she knew it was far from over.

“No, I suppose not, any idea’s on when we can pick this up again,” she answered.

“You just watch your back; the moment he decides you aren’t worth keeping around he’ll turn on you too.”

“I always watch my back.”

“I do to Lissa, I do to,” he said and ended the communication.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: I’m going with the photo of Tali from the game, you really still can’t see much because of the sun, but I’ll go with my interpretation of it.

Chapter 3

The day had been nicer then the weather man had predicted, not that Liara ever had great faith in them. They had predicted that it would be partly cloudy but the sun shone bright in the sky with no cloud to be seen. This was Memorial Day, it was meant to be a nice day, even though she had quietly hoped it would rain so they would have to cancel. She closed her eyes as she stood by herself, letting the warm Earth Sun beat down on her. The air that was usually fresh was full of things she had never smelt before.  
Not that it was bad, quiet opposite actually. Some of the scents even made her stomach growl. She had tried so many different things already, Beaver Tails, pogoes; something called a doughnut and cotton candy. She had to say that she had never experienced anything like cotton candy before and she would have to find more before the day was over. 

She wished she could have shared this day with Shepard. Liara was not really sure that this was the Commanders “thing” but it still would have been nice to share it. To walk down the main drag listening to people scream as they risked their lives on wild looking rides. Maybe Shepard would have played a game or two and win her one of the funny looking stuffed dolls. She personally wanted the stuffed Garrus doll.  
This was really not Cayle’s scene, she was a much more of a private person. The only times Liara had really even seen her in the spot light was when some reporter put her there or when Diana Allers would do an interview on the Normandy. Even then Shepard never really looked comfortable.

Liara took a deep breath, and opened her eyes. They rested on the statue that had been erected in Cayle’s honour on the first anniversary. Liara had hated it then and she still hated it now. It showed Shepard in her N7 Armour, which she only wore on special occasions. She was looking down at some invisible enemy with her pistol drawn. She hated that they would chose to remember Shepard in such an intimidating way.

Liara’s memory of her was so different. Caring, compassionate, strong; she was only intimidating when she needed to be. She had never once heard Shepard yell, even when she was angry.

Liara moved to a bench and sat down beside a young girl who was throwing her food at some rather large birds. She smiled then returned her gaze to the statue. 

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are in the morning?” She remembered; two days before the first Normandy had been destroyed. Shepard gave her one of her wonderful lopsided grins and ran her fingers down her arms. Liara had shivered at the touch. 

She always loved when Cayle did that; cuddle up behind her and just run her fingers ever so softly over her skin, “Even when the sun it artificial.”

Liara had laughed that morning; the future so bright and full of promise. “One day we will wake up on a beach on Earth,” she sighed and turned to Shepard, kissing her lightly, “Just the two of us, in a bamboo home.”

Shepard laughed. “Do you even know what Bamboo is?” She asked playfully.

“Well, no, not really,” Liara confessed. “Just that it’s some sort of wood that I have heard people talk about.” She smiled as Shepard laughed. She loved the way Cayle laughed.

“We will wake up some morning in a Bamboo home on a beach on Earth,” Shepard then stated, but grew sober and placed gently rested her forehead on Liara’s.

“Cayle?”

“I don’t know Liara,” she said honestly. “I just can’t see ahead and; I worry. I worry about you and what you would do if anything ever.” She stopped and looked into Liara’s eyes. “There’s war coming. Sovereign was just the first, it bugs me that the council has dismissed this. If we don’t prepare I don’t think we will make it.”

“They will prepare, they have to,” Liara countered.

“I don’t know; I just, I never want to hurt you or cause you pain,” her fingers gently caressed the Asari’s cheek.

“You won’t,” Liara said feeling a stir deep in her stomach, like a panic. Did Shepard know something she didn’t?

Cayle obviously sensed the panic in the young Asari and smiled slightly. “I love you,” She kissed her deeply. Liara thought she was going to melt right into the human as Shepard wrapped her arms around her.

Liara sighed looking away from the statue trying to relish in the memory; but it glided away as she looked around to the child feeding the birds. She would go to the beach before she left Earth.

“I don’t like it either,” Garrus spoke up from behind her. Liara stood and turned to him. “It’s missing something.”

Liara looked back to the statue. “It looks like her, somewhat.”

“It’s missing a certain Turrian standing with her.” He said then looked to the ground. “There is no Shepard without Vikarian.” He said in a soft voice.

“Or T’Soni.” Liara added placing a hand on Garrus’ shoulder. 

“She was one of a kind Liara.” Garrus said, “She never stood alone, she always had her crew.”

“Except at the end,” Liara said before she could stop herself. That was probably the bitterest part about everything. Both Liara and Garrus had been taken out of the rush and Shepard had continued on alone. It crushed her heart to think about it. It was quiet for a few moments.

Garrus looked around then rested his eyes on Tali and the children as she moved in a line up for a ride. Garrus simply could not see himself sitting in a little toy like Normandy and floating around in a circle. He could not bring himself to even try. The children had wanted to go and Tali made the sacrifice.

“Do you think Shepard would want this?” he asked, “Rides and fairs and carnivals; giant statues?” He looked. “Stuff dollies? I mean…” He stopped.

“I don’t know Garrus; I do know that she would like the fact that they had the freedom to plan something like this,” Liara answered.

“Do you,” he paused as if he wasn’t sure if he should continue. “Still think she is alive.”

Liara looked back to the statue. “I don’t think she’s gone. I can’t, I have tried but something deep inside just won’t let me believe that. I know you all think I am crazy…”

“No, Liara, we don’t. You loved her, truly loved her. I sometimes refuse to believe she is gone as well,” he admitted. Liara looked to him. “She was what you’d call my best friend, as much of sister as my real sister, so.” He trailed off.

“I want a Garrus stuffed dolly,” Liara said finally breaking the silence that had descended. They both laughed.

“I have three,” he said. “I’ll have to get another, they have this shooting game and, you know, I am the king of the bottle shooters.” The both laughed again.

“It’s getting late,” Liara said as they both made their way to the little Normandy ride. Tali was in one of the little ships with the children. As always Liara could not help but stare. She had always pictured Tali as a beautiful woman but her own image of the Quarian was nothing compared to what she actually looked like. She was like some wonderful Princess.

Tali had readily given up her suit after the Geth assisted in rebuilding the Quarians immune system. She seemed to like wearing light dresses and sandals. She looked more human than alien except some minor face markings and the three fingers and toes. She had thick brown hair and eyes that still seemed to glow. Liara had known she would be as beautiful outside as she was inside.

The Asari leaned against the white fence that went around the ride. “They expect us in the VIP area for the ceremonies. I don’t really feel like a VIP.”

“Me either, this is all more important to Tali than it is me,” he admitted, waving a hand at the children. “She wants to make sure they know everything they can about Shepard.”

Liara thought of the time Shepard had told that she wanted lots of little blue children. She could not help but feel slightly jealous of Tali for a second. She smiled and stood up. 

“I’m going to head to the ceremony. I will meet you there,” Liara took a slow deep breath to stop the tears from collecting in her eyes.

They were separate from the Normandy crew. Liara, Tali and Garrus sat together with Samara and Grunt somewhere mixed in. Liara really did not know them and had not looked for them. All the humans that had worked with Shepard, including Ashley, James, Samantha and Joker were on the other side of the stage. EDI was with Joker. Zaeed had had not come and if Kasumi was here, she was not showing herself. Wrex had not made the trip either.

Miranda was on Cronos base working with the ex-Cerberus scientist and Jack was sitting in the crowd with her students. Liara had originally disliked Jack, but she had been keeping an eye on the young biotic. Jack still had her tattoos and still swore worse than a Krogan, but she had flourished as a teacher. Her hair had grown out, not for the first time; she liked to play with it. She still dressed in clothing that really covered very little. But, overtime she had become reliable and honourable and even respectable. Not that she liked to be called that. Liara admired how much she had grown.

Jack had been devastated when she had found out Shepard was dead. Her reaction had been surprising to Liara; Jack had always given Shepard such a hard time. What Liara had not realized was how much Jack respected and loved Shepard. Jack had even confessed to her once that she owed Shepard everything; that she would never have changed, had the Commander not taken time, or interest, in her.

Shepard had impacted so many people.

“Looks like Ashley is going to make a speech today,” Tali said.

“Well, she learned to make them from one of the best,” Garrus added. Liara grimaced slightly. Ashley would talk about loyalty and trust and honour but she had failed to give Shepard any of that when Cayle had used Cerberus to get to the collectors. Liara smiled in spite of this though, but mostly thinking of the speeches Shepard liked to give. How Shepard would walk and used her hands more than normal. It was always very cute.

“There are a lot of people here.” Liara said looking about the crowd. She spotted Primarch Victus sitting with the council and the other delegates close by, including the Salarian Dalatrass Linron. Liara was surprised she was here. She had openly disagreed with Shepard curing the genophage, to the point that she asked the Commander to sabotage it or they would not send aid during the Reaper invasion. A promise she kept when Shepard had refused to comply.

“Shepard impacted on many people, in one way or form,” Tali said with a smile.

“She certainly was not known for being subtle,” Garrus agreed. He smiled. “I remember her charging in and shooting her way through Nassana Dantius’ tower. She made it a war zone. She never even thought about being subtle.” He laughed at the memory. One always knew when Shepard was coming. “It’s hard to believe that she was once an infiltrator. I heard James call her a bull in a china shop during a mission. It did not take me long to figure out the meaning of that one.”

Liara smiled, you always knew where Shepard was, her crew would say, just follow the smoke. It was hard to believe at times that Shepard had started out as a sniper, sneaking around in the distance and striking without warning. She had ever done that as a Commander, she had been forced more into working in a squad.

“Speaking of Ashley,” Tali started and looked at Liara. “I ran into her earlier and she was looking for you, Liara.”

“Me?” She looked over to where the Lt. Commander sat wondering what she would want. They never spoke after the Normandy had returned to Earth, they had never even said good bye. “Well, I guess we will see after this is over.”

The crowd seemed to hush as Admiral Hackett made his way to the podium. They were in front of the Alliance Headquarters in Vancouver and even its tower seemed to shrink behind him. She was always nervous in his presence, like a child viewing their hero for the first time. He commanded respect just by his mere presence. Liara had always known that one day Shepard would be able to do the same.

He was about to start talking when Liara noticed the Salarian Dalatrass suddenly slump over. She made no sound simply parted her lips slightly and slumped over in her chair. Has she slipped to the ground Liara could not help but see the explosion out of the back of the Salarians head? She stood in one spot stunned for a few moments as others realized what had happened. Someone started screamed, then the running started. 

“By the Goddess,” Liara breathed lowly. This was certainly unexpected. 

While everyone was running away Garrus made his way to the Dalatrass, Liara followed. Tali was gathering the children and pulling them away.

“It has to be a sniper,” Garrus was sating looking to where the Dalatrass had been sitting and trying to judge from where the bullet had entered. Garrus had once been a sniper as well, the best if you asked him.

“But we are not at war with anyone,” Liara said. This probably meant Cerberus. This was something they would pull. 

Garrus was not listening; he was doing his own calculations. He turned and looked into the distance. “It came from that direction,” he said and continued his calculations and looked up to a building that seemed impossibly far away. “There,” he said pointing.

“Impossible that is over three kilometers away.” Liara said.

“I could do it, with the right equipment,” Garrus replied. He looked to Liara for a few seconds.  
“What.”

“There’s only one other person I know of who could make a shot like that.”

“No,” Liara said with finality. It was impossible in one way and unthinkable in so many others. She began to move, at first walking fast then running. She thought of running to a taxi but that would be to slow, instead she grabbed the closest hover car she could find.

“Liara,” Garrus called, following as she got in. “You know this is theft?” 

“Are you coming?” She said as she used her Omi tool to start the vehicle. He looked around to the crowd, unable to see Tali and the children. He sighed and got into the car.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” He said closing the door. “I just need to let Tali know what I’m doing.”

¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬

Three kilometers had never taken so long and as they approached the tall business building they noted that the roof was empty. Liara brought the hover car to a steep descent and a not so glamorous landing. She really didn’t care that it violated several driving and parking codes. They had not seen a car leave the roof of the building which meant whomever made the shot had to leave by foot. It would have taken them an equal amount of time to get to the main floor, or at least she was hoping.  
Garrus was still saying good bye to Tali as the hover car slammed down. Liara was exiting the before it was even stationary.

So many things were going through her mind at once. This was a bold move for Cerberus. Humans had a slight dislike for Salarians since the war, but this was a diplomatic nightmare. The peace between the two races was tedious at best. The Salarian would never act out against the Humans though; the Krogans would join the humans if they did. That was a force the Salarians did not want to get involved with and Humans were the only ones keeping the Krogans at bay.  
Still, this was an incident that would have major repercussions. Perhaps that was what Cerberus wanted. Maybe they wanted to see just what the Salarians would do. Perhaps this was just the beginning of something even worse. Liara did not know. For all of her power as the Shadow Broker, she had not seen this coming.

She thought of what Garrus had talked about. He and Shepard were perhaps the two best shot in the galaxy, which were known. That did not mean that others could not have made the shot, but it made Liara’s stomach churn at the thought. Could it be Shepard, Liara shook the thought out of her head. 

“Liara, slow down,” Garrus called, running to catch up with her. “Whoever took that shot will be armed, we are not.”

“We are.” Liara counter and made a fist, waves of blue smoke filled the air. “Whoever made that shot won’t rely on you figuring things out. They won’t think anyone is coming for them and they won’t rush. They would not want to bring attention to themselves. I think that was the reason they did not have a hover car on the roof. People would have been looking for that.”

“There are several exits from that building,” Garrus said bring up the schematics on his omni tool. He looked quickly. “The laneway, it has an emergency exit, and an emergency elevator.” He typed in a few more things. “It has no security and the least amount of cameras. I would take that route.”

They moved into the laneway together, both spotting the land bike together. “Escape vehicle, small and fast,” Liara whispered, perhaps they were not too late.

“We should call for back up,” Garrus said.

Liara was about to reply when the door opened. She and Garrus both froze, more from anticipation than anything else. Liara was not sure what to expect. For a second or expected Shepard to stroll out and asked her how she has been.  
In the short time it took the door to open and someone to step out Liara’s heart rate had increased to the point where she could almost hear it in her head. She remained frozen as a young kid in a chef’s outfit stepped out with a cigarette between his lips. He stopped and looked to them, his gaze solid on Liara’s hand which was balled into a fist with blue wisps crackling around it. The cigarette fell to the ground.

“I didn’t do anything,” he said as the door opened again.

This time a woman stepped out. Liara’s heart rate would have increased if it could have. The first thing she noted was the suit the woman was wearing. Loose but form fitting black pants with a green and blue short sleeved blouse. Before her eyes went anywhere else she could envision this woman being Shepard. They were about the same height and weight. However instead of long black hair tied into a ponytail this woman had short but straight blonde hair. Shepard had steely baby blue eyes while the woman had intense green eyes. Three scars ran down the woman’s right cheek to her ear, almost unnoticeable. It was as if some cat had scratched her. A much deeper scar lined her neck.

She was carrying a black briefcase that, no doubt carried her gun. There was only a quick flash of confusion in the woman’s eyes before she threw up her free hand and a blast of fire right in front of Garrus’ face. She followed up quickly by striking Liara with the brief case, causing the Asari to fall to the ground. The kid in the Chef’s outfit scrambled for a hiding spot. She placed the case in a holder on the land bike and pulled out a pistol as she mounted the bike. She paused for a second, almost as if to allow the Asari to get her barricade up before fire at them. She started the bike as she did so.

After the thermal clip ejected the unknown woman holstered the weapon and set the bike into motion. She took only a brief glimpse back, her eyes resting on Liara, before turning and disappearing from their sights.


	4. Chapter 4

The room was dark, save for the outlines of furniture. The moon shone just enough light into the room that it appeared spookier then it should. A small child lay on the couch with her small head resting in her mother's lap. Images were fuzzy and all she knew was she was terrified. Her heart beat fast and she could almost hear it as she breathed slowly, her eyes darted about the room.

"Baby mine dry your eyes,” her mother sang. Her mother used to sing to her all the time, but she remembered this song the most. It was the song her mother used when she was upset or hurt. "Rest your head close to my heart, never to part. Baby of mine"  
She never hear the whole song, it was not allowed to finish. She could feel her mother's fingers moving gently through her hair. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her heart. She was safe, wasn't she? Her mother was there, she would keep her safe. There was no reason to be scared.

"Little one when you play, pay no heed what they say," her mother continued but the child’s heart beat continued to pound through her ears. The song never ends, why does the song never finish? She was frozen to the spot, afraid that if she moved something bad would happen and it would be her fault. "Let your eyes sparkle and shine, never a tear."

"Baby of mine," now panic was starting to settle in as she gripped her mother's leg tighter. She wanted to scream, tell her mother to stop singing, that the song never ended and that it scared her. She wanted her mother to stop the song on her terms, not on the fear that it will end some other way because of something horrible. She opened her mouth but only air came out. She was crying now, unable to move.

"If they knew all about you, they'd end up loving you too,” tears streamed down her small cheeks and she was beyond being consoled, unable to move or scream. Her eyes opened wide in terror as she could see the shadow of feet at the door to their apartment. Her tears were pooled on her mother's thigh, soaking her pants. She could hear them talking. Her mother continued to sing, calmly as if nothing was happening, "All those same people that scold you. What they'd give just to hold you."

The door opened with a bang, slamming into the wall behind it. Her mother still did not move. There was another loud bang and the child was deaf. She closed her eyes as she was thrown to the floor, curling into a ball and covering her ears with her hands. She could feel them there, they were doing bad things. She could feel floor beneath her was sticky and wet. She opened her eyes once but all she could see was red.

The child lay for what seemed like forever before she got the courage to uncurl herself. The room was dark, save for the outlines of the furniture. The moon had just enough light to reveal the destroyed room. Everything was smashed and broken and she was still soaking wet. It smelt horrible now as well, slightly metallic. She turned around slowly now sitting.

"Baby of mine," she heard her mother gasp. She turned to her now and tried to scream again, but no sound came. The song never ended, now she remembered why.

Lissa jerked awake, unaware that she had actually fallen asleep. She still lay on the roof top waiting and watching. She had been here for the better part of a day. Usually she had a partner that would keep her awake and sane. The Ambassador had ordered her to kill her partner and she had no idea of where Kai Leng was now. Not that she liked him anyway; all he ever did was talk about him. At least it kept her awake and only day dreaming of the many ways she could kill him.

The assassin took a long drink of cold water and placed the container back into her throw away bag. She never left anything behind when she had a job like this. There was a blanket underneath her that left with her. She only ate paste, but the containers went back into her bag to be disposed of somewhere else that would not be a crime scene.

She had spent a week working on this assignment. It had taken The Ambassador a bit to get the location of where the target would be sitting. Then she had come to Earth to begin her calculations and to plan her escape route. She had watched them set up this little anniversary carnival and knew every little route through it. She knew the layout of the building where she was now perched. She had already hacked into the security system and looped in the feed from a couple days ago. The camera's would pick up nothing.

Now, she just had to wait and without a partner that was proving difficult. She killed time by watching those below. The park was filling up quickly, the early birds all lining up to avoid the line ups. She chuckled to herself over the irony of that. The family that was first in line was probably pretty proud of themselves. They had shown up at one in the morning, setting up pup tents and making a family outing of it.

It was going to be a special day, all the big fucking heroes were going to be there; all but the biggest anyway. Not that Shepard needed to be there, they had this big crazy statue dedicated to her in the middle of the park.

She knew the list of Delegates’ because she needed to know the list. Not that she was worried; the only two on the list that could possibly be able to figure out what happened were Commander Williams and Garrus Vikarrian. Williams would be escorted out quite quickly but security and Garrus, well; he'd been domesticated for a few years now.

The family she had been watching over the morning had been interesting. She guessed that the mother was in security or maybe part of the alliance, she was in better shape than the average business person or stay at home mother. Although she was relaxed, she still had this habit of looking everywhere and knowing her surroundings. That was a habit that was not formed on the sidelines of a soccer field or with a sewing machine. Nor was that developed in a board room, although; watching one's back was advised.  
The father was easier, obviously a teacher or counsellor. He was always talking to the children, making sure they had what they needed, finding out if they wanted anything. He was the provider and the mother was the protector.

She had stopped watching them when the park opened and the rush began. Everyone wanted to see everything at the same time.

She continued to watch, other people, some in the park some not in the park. She had already witnessed three muggings and had a clear view to the slums of Vancouver as well. She watched there as well. She had not grown up in the slums of Vancouver, but the slums of Toronto had been no better. Now both had gotten worse. There were so many children orphaned since the war. Gangs were even more rampant then they had ever been. Not only that, but they had not even begun reconstruction on most of the slums.  
There was a wall being constructed around these slums and this angered her. People in the "good" parts of town were already completely oblivious to the suffering and pain of those in the slums. This would make it even worse. What they needed to do was to go in and deal with the problem. Get those children a decent home. Some sort of home, food and comfort, they were as much as the future as the spoiled children that had line up all morning for the ceremony.

Had humanity even been worth saving?

Would the almighty Shepard be happy with how humanity was coming along after she had made the ultimate sacrifice? She knew she would have not been, had the roles been reversed. Humanity had not really changed; it was just learning to hide its problems better.

This was the main reason Lissa had chosen Cerberus over the Alliance.

She certainly had never agreed with The Illusive Man and his ramblings. She had watched as he went from humanities watch dog to Reaper lap dog. At one point he might have been a genius, no one would ever argue about some of his success, but he had not been able to draw the line. She had not liked the "volunteer" army he had controlled. As far as she was concerned it was an abomination.

The Ambassador was only slightly better. There were still experiments but the volunteers always knew what they were getting into, that death was possibility but there was always compensation. If they died the money always went to where the subject wanted it to go; his wife or children, mother or father, someone was always able to get out of the slums. There was never a shortage of volunteers.

She was not deluded though, she knew Cerberus was far from perfect. The Ambassador himself was racist. He hated the other Alien races and was convinced they did nothing but try and keep humanity under their rules. He had thought, for a while, after the war that things would change, with Earth and humanity had played such a large role in saving the Universe.

The council had survived and only grown stronger. Humanity had a council representative, but they were still treated as if they were children. The Ambassador was convinced that if something was not done, they would always be perceived as children.  
Lissa often disagreed with The Ambassador but he had earned her respect a long time ago. He had rescued her from a life that meant nothing and made her what she was. It was something she would not forget, especially when she was doing something she particularly did not like. It was part of her motivation, to make him proud of her. His was the only opinion she care about.

She rubbed her eyes and bent over the scope once again, this time looking over the park. It was pretty full and she watched as people got on some of the rides and screamed as they were thrown all over the place. She smiled slightly as she watched some young boy get off a roller coaster and throw up into a garbage pail.

It was quite a gathering, humans were walking side by side with aliens and it was an overall sense of happiness. She herself had no problems with Aliens. She had known a few and they seemed ok. She did not share her mentors hate for them. She did believe in strengthening humanity.

Lissa continued to scan the park, it was getting close to time for her to do her job. The actual ceremony would start soon. She panned over the statue and thought it was a terrible replica of the woman it was supposed to represent. She wasn't sure why she felt this, she had never known Shepard, but she hated it none the less.

Her scope landed on a young Asari sitting on a bench close to the statue watching a child feed the seagulls. Something about this woman struck a chord with her and she could not understand why. The Asari were a beautiful and graceful race but she had never really been drawn to them, but this woman held her fascination and her scope refused to move.

The Asari was alone, which was odd, they were such sociable people; she never really just saw them sitting alone like that. She looked so sad that for a second Lissa felt a strange pull to go and comfort her. She pulled away from the scope and shook her head. But it was only a minute before she was watching the woman again. She suddenly realized who it was. Liara T'Soni; Shadow Broker, scientist and Shepard's lover, no wonder she looked alone and sad.

She still had that strange pull to go and comfort the Asari, she couldn't make it go away. It was starting to bother her.

She watched as the beautiful woman was joined by a Turian, Garrus Vikarrian, she could tell by the scars on his mandibles. They moved off to one of the rides and Lissa swung her scope to the podium, then to where the target was going to be sitting. It was time to do her final calculations.

Lissa was a solider and had never been interested in any kind of a relationship. She had one night stands on occasion, usually when thing were stressful and she needed a release, but they never meant anything. She had never admired anyone or even thought of feeling anything for another person. This pull she suddenly felt for the Asari was already driving her insane.

She made minor adjustments as the seats for the ceremony started to fill. It was a variable whose who and she could have made a hell of a mess of she wanted to. She had one target though, she would stick to her mission parameters.

As the set up continued Lissa noted that her target was actually quite close to T'Soni. All she had to do was pull the scope back slightly and she would be able to watch the Asari as well, she sighed.

"Get over it." She mumbled to herself and focused on the Salarian Dalatrass that was her target. The Ambassador wanted her to wait until there was silence, when Hackett was on the stage.

The Dalatrass had stopped the Salarians from helping in the war. A lot of the STG had decided to join anyways, but she had kept the main Salarian forces from aiding the allies. Since the war she had been more than vocal about humanity being galactic bullies. Needless to say, the relationship between the Salarians and the humans was tedious at best.

She waited while the chairs finished filling, it took a long time for things to get started. The whole ceremony would be opened by Admiral Hackett. Lissa admired the older man. Yes, he was her enemy, but the authority his mere presence commanded was impressive.

He wasn't even announced and people grew quite to watch him walk to the podium. She watched the affair on her omni tool while her scope was rested firmly on the Dalatrass. She had already calculated the shot as close as she could. Now that Hackett was on the stage it was time.

Her scope took the last calculations of the wind from the top of this building right down to where the Salarian sat, the air density, all the other calculations were already set. She gently nuzzled herself against the rifle as if it was a lover. When her finger wrapped around the trigger the gun became an extension of her arm.

The Dalatrass was in her chair watching the Admiral on the stage. Lissa’s rifle had the target firmly between her eyes and ever so slightly above. She inhaled slowly and held her breath for only a second before taking the shot. She knew it was perfect even before the Salarian slumped down in her chair.

"Mission accomplished," she stated into her communicator. She watched for a few seconds as the realization set in to those around the Salarian and even though she could not hear the screaming, she imagined it.

She nodded slightly then moved to the kneeling position, dismantling her rifle and putting it away in her case. It took her slightly under five minutes to clean up an area. It would take most people much longer than that to figure out where the shot had come from. Even then getting to the Dalatrass in the confusion would take time as well. When she had everything packed up she took a spray bottle and sprayed the area in bleach. That would take care of any trace evidence she might have left behind.

She left the roof top and made her way to the emergency elevator. She could already hear the reports of the assassination on the extranet. It was amazing at how quick the news got out. The speculations were all over the place. It was still unknown what had happened just that someone had been shot and that there was mass confusion.

The elevator was slow and she subconsciously tapped her foot against the floor. They were talking now that it was possibly one of the Alien representatives that had been killed and that Hackett had been taken to safety. She smiled to herself, he had never been in danger.

She turned off her access to the extra net as she stepped off the elevator and made her way to the emergency exit. Her land bike waited for her on the other side of the door. It would take her to the shuttle and she would finally get off this horrible planet. She hated Earth for what it failed to become.

She opened the door and stepped out into the ally only to come face to face with Turian and Asari she had been watching. She reacted quickly and shot out her omni tool and a blast of fire exploded in front of Vikarrian, enough to keep him off balanced for the time she needed to escape. She swung her briefcase at T'Soni, knocking her to the ground. She immediately felt guilty but took the time to place the briefcase on the bike and get on it herself.

She pulled out her pistol and aimed it at the Asari, giving her enough time to get her barricade off before shooting. She started up the bike and as soon as her heat sink ejected she gunned the motor, taking off down the alley. She took a brief second to look back to make sure that Liara had not been hurt before she turned the corner and got out of the area as quickly as possible.


	5. Chapter 5

OOC Another chapter that really went in a direction I was not expecting. Was never really going to use Ashley but she kinda forced her way in.

They had allowed Liara into the meeting. After all these years she was still considered part of the team; also known as Shepard’s team. Most of them had moved on to other things. The Normandy was never the same without her. Oh, Ashley tried, but she was definitely not Shepard. Cayle had always had an open mind; Ashley, not so much. Shepard had embraced Aliens and AI’s alike, Ashley had never shared the same view.

Most of Shepard’s team were gone, the Aliens had all returned home. James was now part of the N7, Jack a teacher, Sam off building another Normandy SR-2, rumoured to be called The Shepard. EDI and Joker were all that remained on the Normandy, and neither of them would ever leave. Some of the others were still there: Engineer Adams, Chakwas, they were more loyal to the Normandy itself than to the Alliance.

Shepard had told her once that nothing ever stayed the same. Liara had been able to deal with that, she could have faced any change, as long as Shepard had remained with her. Now she found it challenging. She hated the fact that Ashley had the Normandy. She would have much rather seen James get it. He had always had Cayle’s back.

“Do we have any idea why Cerberus would pick now to show that they are still around?” Admiral Hackett asked, looking down at the Dalatrass’ body. “I mean, I can see why she would be a target, but why now? And, why such a show of it?”

“Cerberus has been in a political storm since the death of the Illusive Man.” Liara reported. “It was particularly hard to follow given the fact that there are several different factions and most do not even know about each other. I would suspect that someone has finally taken charge. I would even guess that this was a message to us. Cerberus is back.”

“With what goals though?” Hackett asked, rubbing his forehead. “The Illusive man was bad, but at least we knew where he was coming from. The devil you know. We need to get information.” He looked directly at Liara.

“I have everyone working on it, Admiral.” She paused and looked at Ashley who had been standing silently in the back of the room. “I have heard rumours that an Eclipse base had been attacked on Therum in the Artemus Tau system.” She looked at nothing in particular; Therum was where she had first met Shepard. “My sources say it was probably Cerberus.”

“I personally do not find a war between Cerberus and Eclipse a problem; I’d be fine if they killed each other.” Ashley said. She was also always so much more blunt than Shepard.

“I agree.” Liara said. “But I’m thinking that the Eclipse must have had something Cerberus wanted. Whatever was in that base was being guarded. My sources said that a team of Asari scientists had been brought in and that they were not allowed to have any contact with the Eclipse troops. Only the highest ranking Eclipse officers were even allowed near the inside of the base.”

“Well that’s something.” Hackett agreed. He crossed his arms over his chest and lifted a hand to rub the stubble that was starting to form over his chin. “Williams, I think you should take the Normandy and look into this.” He said. Liara looked at the woman.

“Aye sir.” She said sharply. She was a soldier and obeying orders was her specialty. The problem was that Ashley had what Shepard called a box, and Ashley had no idea of how to think outside of it. Not that Ashley was a bad officer or Spectre, she was just an Alliance soldier and to her, the Alliance would always come first. Liara had never believed she was Spectre material. Shepard had thought it would round Ashley off into a good officer. It had not worked thus far. Liara doubted it ever would.

“Liara,” Hackett turned to her and her eyes widened.

“Yes sir?” She held her breath, expecting him to ask her to go.

“Tell me about this woman you and Garrus ran into.”

She let out the breath. “Well, that was a hell of a shot she took, according to Garrus anyway. From what I understand, very few people can do that, Geth excluded. Garrus and Ashley,” She paused adding Shepard to that list in her head. “Garrus said one other Turian that he knew of, but he was injured badly in the war." She rubbed her own temple.

“She was quick and strong.” Liara continued. “And I think had she wanted Garrus and I dead, we would have been. She had the drop on us.”

“I wonder if she was enhanced like Kai Leng.” Ashley asked. Unlike Liara, Ashley had never faced Kai Leng. 

“I don’t think so, I mean the Nemeses were all so enhanced but they did not retain much of their own features. Partially husk-like, like the troops.” Liara explained. “This woman was human.”

“I wonder if she was trained by Cerberus, or by us.” Hackett voiced. “I will have to look into who we have that can make a shot like that.”

It was quiet for a long moment as all three of them stared at the body. Liara could not get the Cerberus woman out of her head. It was an image permanently ingrained in there now. The woman could have killed them and no one would have known who she was, but she had waited. She had allowed Liara to get her barrier up before shooting at them. She was more than aware that she should be dead.

“Liara?” Liara shook her head, clearing her thoughts. Ashley had obviously asked her something that she had missed completely.

“Sorry, I was just thinking.”

“We still have room on the Normandy if you want to come as well and find out what is going on.” Ashley said and looked to Hackett. Obviously the invitation was his idea. She needed to go; she needed to know who this woman was and what Cerberus was up to. She just didn’t want to go on the Normandy with Shepard being gone. She did not want to see the memorial wall with Shepard’s name on it.

“It would take a while to set myself up on the Normandy again. I have a ship that is ready to go. It just doesn’t have a stealth drive and its weapons are kind of basic.” She said. Hackett and Williams exchanged looks.

“Well, we could meet you there.” Ashley said and smiled thinly. Liara’s brush-off obviously bothered her. Liara paused for a second; Shepard had forgiven the Alliance Officer and welcomed her back with open arms. Liara could not figure out why she had never been able to do the same.

No, she knew why. She was not Shepard; no one was, nor would they ever be. One-of-a-kind was a term that was made because of people like her. She was a leader of people; anyone Shepard ever touched would follow her into hell.   
Anyone, that is, except for Ashley Williams who had once declared her a traitor. 

“Sounds like a plan. I will meet you there.” Liara said tersely letting her anger get the better of her. She moved to the door and then stopped. She told herself she should apologize and she looked back for a second. “It will be interesting to work together again.” She said instead before leaving.

Shepard had always known exactly what Liara liked. It was like magic, every touch, every caress; it sent magical surges through her body. She had remembered her mother once explaining that sex was a need for other races. That Asari reproduction was not about sex. Benezia was correct; sex had nothing to do with reproduction, but it was certainly not just a need for other races. It was a form of showing each other just how much you loved each other and it was an act of giving and an act of love and Liara embraced it.

She could feel Shepard touching her, her breath on the back of her neck as she pressed herself against her. Liara was always amazed at how gentle the warrior could be, gentle but intense. Liara never needed a meld to know how much Shepard loved her, it was in every breath, every touch of her fingers, every kiss. It was sometimes overwhelming to the point where Liara could not even control herself. When they melded during this process Liara truly felt a part of her lover.

Liara counted on her dreams to sometimes bring Shepard back to her. Like now, moaning softly at the soft little bites at the back of her neck, Shepard’s hands moving to all the right places. Liara could barely contain herself. She smiled, knowing she was dreaming, and welcoming it.

“Embrace eternity.” She moaned softly against the pillow, melding with the woman behind her, however she stopped instantly as she realized something was not right. She pulled away quickly and turned. The Cerberus woman smiled back at her. Liara could not help but think how strikingly similar to Shepard she was.

“I guess I’m not the eternity you expected.” The woman said in Shepard's voice. She grabbed Liara and pinned her down. “Embrace me anyway.” She demanded.

Liara jerked herself awake, jumping out of her bed and pressing her back against the wall. Her room was dark, save for the light from the stars allowing her eyes to adjust enough to see outlines. She was alone. Her heart raced and beat loudly as she closed her eyes and tried to push the dream out of her thoughts.

She found herself becoming angry that this unknown woman had invaded a place that was only meant for one person. She stretched and moved over to one of the many consoles in her room. Each was full of information that she would move slowly through. She had created a program that sorted most of the information out based on key words, and right now Cerberus was her main concern. However; as she sat down another area of concern popped up on her.

Kai Leng.

Kai Leng had somehow disappeared from Cronos base before the Alliance had managed to completely secure it. In their defence they had other concerns, like the Citadel and Earth and the Reapers. When the Alliance returned, led by Miranda, Kai Leng was simply gone. As was the Nemesis army Kai Leng liked to align himself with. Liara had though he was dead after the blow that Shepard had given him. Any normal person would have been - but then, Kai Leng was not normal.

She brought it up on her screen and read over the news. Javik had been trying to locate him with little to no results. He had found many bodies left with the assassin's signature attached to them, but never a lead to where the man himself was. Javik was trying his hardest, but he was hardly the most inconspicuous person in the galaxy. He was, after all, the only Prothean left and everyone knew who he was. Most figured he was helping the Alliance, few knew who he was truly working for.

Because of this Liara had been forced to find someone else to shadow Javik, get the information he could not because of who he was. She had wanted to hire Jacob Taylor, because she truly trusted him, but he was settled down now with a lovely wife and two children. She did not want to put him in danger. Instead she turned to man named Mouse, who came highly recommended by Shepard’s friend Commander Bailey. He worked with Thane Krios son, Koylat, and they were two of her better agents.

The message came from Mouse. He had heard rumours of Kai Leng leaving Cerberus and striking out as a free agent. Liara could not help but be surprised; he had been extremely loyal to Cerberus. She could not help but think that Cerberus had probably terminated the relationship. They were going to try and set up a trap for him. She thought about this for a long time. Koylat and Mouse were good at getting information but they were not really a match for the seasoned assassin. Javik however…

She would need to get them working together after this trip to Therum.

Her eyes rested on the picture of Cayle she had on her desk. It sat between Shepard’s helmet from the first Normandy crash and her dog tags. Liara’s own, personal little Shepard memorial, or it would be if she believed Shepard was dead. She had met Shepard on Therum. The stalwart Alliance officer had rescued her from a trap Liara had accidentally sprung on herself. Well, not a trap really, it was supposed to protect her from the Geth troops her mother had sent after her. It had done so, but she had managed to get herself stuck in stasis.

She would never forget the slight smile Shepard had on her face when she had explained that to her that day. Liara had not found it nearly as amusing as the Spectre.

She remembered what a presence Shepard was the first time she had laid eyes on her; so confident and sure of herself, yet understanding and kind at the same time. Liara often thought she had fallen in love with her then. Then they mind melded for the first time, and although she mainly searched for the Prothean data, she had touched a part of Shepard. Nothing she could put a finger on even now, but it was strong and powerful and alluring all at the same time. She had been addicted immediately.

She shook her head and sent a message back to Koylat telling him to hold off for now and that she would get back to him soon.

"Liara we are at Therum, the Alliance has not yet arrived." came Falere’s voice.

“Thank you.” Liara responded and looked out the view port to the planet below. She wasn’t really sure she was ready to go down to the planet’s surface. She moved out of her room through a room covered in monitors. She paused at a group of them and scanned for any signals. There were several and she focused in on the Eclipse base, nothing but static came from them. Someone had made sure to eliminate their trail. Sort of like the building the blonde woman had been on. Someone had tampered with the cameras there, feeding them the footage from the day prior.

The blonde woman was certainly efficient. 

She walked to the bridge of the ship, her hand clenching and unclenching; she disliked this woman who was starting to invade her life of several levels.

“I have scanned the Eclipse base and I am not getting any reading from it at all.” Falere reported. Liara could not help but go over her readings then concur. She was about to send a report to Williams when the Normandy came out of FTL beside them. Liara could only stare at its hull; it was truly an impressive sight. She felt tears sting her eyes as a flood of memory and pain hit her all at once. Falere took her hand and squeezed it. Liara smiled sadly back.

“Send the Normandy your readings and tell them I will meet them on the planet.” She turned back and headed to her room to don the armour she had not worn in five years.

Liara had made several adjustments to her armour while she was putting it on. She had been worried that it would not fit her but instead found it slightly too big. As Falere helped her adjust the straps she gave her a stern lecture about her poor eating habits. Liara would have stopped her if she didn’t deserve it. In her own defence, she never thought she would be putting it on again.

When they were done she stopped long enough to look in the mirror. She smiled slightly thinking of the many adventures she had in this armour. She had gone everywhere with Shepard. She thought of Eden Prime and Ilium and oh, so many other places. As she looked in the mirror she envisioned Shepard standing behind her, pushing some imaginary dust off her shoulder.

“You still look good in it, Blue.” Cayle said with her mischievous smile, using her pet name.

“Yeah, like a little girl in her mother’s armour. I have lost weight.” She considered for only a second how wrong it was to talk to an imaginary Shepard, but she didn’t really care.

“Yeah, you really need to start taking better care of yourself.” Shepard said. “If I am alive, I don’t want to come home to a sick girl.”

Liara smiled to herself and moved to her weapons locker and picked out her gun. She eyed Shepard’s Black Widow and Scorpion. The Scorpion had not been the most practical weapon, but Shepard seemed to have a soft spot for it. That or, as she would say, she liked the explosions. Shepard never really got close enough in a fight anyway. She preferred to shoot from a distance.

Like the blonde Cerberus assassin.

Liara shook her head and moved to the back of the ship. Unlike the Normandy, her ship could land but in this case it would get her close enough to drop. She stood as the cargo bay doors opened and spotted the Alliance shuttle touching down. She jumped out of the cargo bay and landed on the ground. She made her way over to Ashley and her team.

“Hello Liara, it has been a long time.” Came EDI’s voice in her headset. Again Liara was filled with emotion. EDI might have been an AI but she had ‘grown’ up under Shepard’s tutelage. She shook it off with Ashley looking at her.

“Hello EDI, and I imagine Jeff is with you as well.”

“Never too far away,” came Jokers voice. Liara had never called him by his nickname though. Jeff had been the one person that had followed Shepard everywhere. He had prided himself on always being able to fly her away from harm. When he had not been able to save her from the Citadel, Jeff had been devastated, and then EDI had gone off line and for a little while Liara had not been sure Jeff was going to be able to bounce back. It wasn’t until Tali restarted the AI that Joker had returned to his former self. Even then the memory left its own huge scar.

Liara smiled and looked at Ashley. “I am ready.” She said and turned back to the entrance of the Eclipse base. It looked a lot like the Prothean archives on Mars, with the entrance going into the side of a mountain, then several smaller buildings down in a bit of a steep crater.

The Alliance troops entered first, led by Ashley. It was strange for Liara to be at the back of the group. She had always been up front with Shepard. She had more experience than most of the young soldiers that were in front of her. It was Ashley though, and she was never a big supporter of Aliens.

As they moved into the base Liara noted the weapon scarring and blood on the ground. Some of the bodies had been moved. Cerberus was not one to really care about their dead. They moved in further and the carnage started. It had been a vicious fight, both parties were powerhouses. She stopped as the military team moved on. She removed the helmet of one of the Cerberus soldiers. He was human, not the half-husk zombies the Illusive Man had created.

“These are normal soldiers.” Liara reported.

“Maybe whoever is now running Cerberus doesn’t believe in the same things as the Illusive man.” Ashley said as they moved along. It became obvious that they were not going to find any survivors.

“Well, the Illusive Man was Cerberus. We always thought that Cerberus would fall with his death, but that was obviously incorrect. Maybe we did not know as much about the organization as we thought we did. Maybe the Illusive Man was just one part of it.”

“I don’t know; I mean, the man had a lot of power. He was making armies. He was the man behind all the experiments we shut down on the first Normandy.” Ashley said checking a second Cerberus soldier.

“He was making mindless zombies. I don’t imagine everyone in Cerberus, or their investors, would be happy with that. Maybe it’s an off-shoot of Cerberus.” Liara surmised.

Ashley stopped as they finally reached the laboratories. They had been completely trashed. Liara grunted in disapproval.

“So you mean maybe we are dealing with good racist scum?” Ashley replied with a smile. Liara could not help but smile back, especially since Ashley was partially racist herself.

“Yeah, something like that.” Liara moved into what seemed to be the main office and turned on one of the computers. It crackled and made a loud protest but flashed an image of a large empty room.

“I wonder what was in that.” Ashley asked over her shoulder.

“It appears empty now.” Liara stated the obvious. “What could the Eclipse have that Cerberus wanted?”

“I would like to say Reaper tech, but that’s not hard to come by anymore.” Ashley said and motioned for her men to go and check it out. Liara continued to work on the computer. All paths to the main drive were destroyed.

“We are going to have to find the central computer core and see if we can get information from it. This computer is destroyed and I cannot access it.”

“Secure this room.” Ashley ordered her officers, and she and Liara moved on. For the first minute it was silent. There were several moments when it seemed as though Ashley wanted to say something but did not. Liara was happy with that; she did not want a heart to heart with the Officer.

The found the big room that had been shown on the monitor. What the monitor failed to show was the just how big the room was. It was almost the size of a station.

“Wow.” Liara stated and looked up. There was a large port on the ceiling. Whatever had been in here came and went by the port. “That kind of worries me.”

“There must have been something huge in here.” Ashley concurred.

“Maybe they had a reaper.”

“We could only hope it’s something that simple.” Ashley moved back into the hallway. Liara followed and they continued until they found the computer core room.

“Goddess.” Liara stated at the black and charred room. Someone had set off explosives. “This could be problematic.” She began to dig about the destroyed room in hoped that something was still intact.

“No one said Cerberus was not thorough.” Ashley said as she helped Liara.

They dug for about a half hour when Liara suddenly smiled and pulled out a small box. She carefully opened it. “They missed one.” She said triumphantly.

“Thank god.” Ashley said and moved over to where the Asari was kneeling. Her white and grey armour was nearly black with soot. “Can you get anything off of it?”

“I would have to take it back to my ship and analyse it.” Liara stood. Ashley was looking at her. “I have the means to figure out what is on this. I can crack it and send all the information to you.”

“This is an Alliance operation.” Ashley stated.

“Yes, and they have asked for my help, and if you want my help this data will come back to my ship and when I am finished cracking it I will send the Alliance a full report.”

“If the information goes to your ship, then I go to your ship.” Ashley crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. Liara looked at her for a long time.

“Then you might want to go and get into something comfortable because this might take me a long time.” Liara crossed her own arms over her chest as the two women faced off.

“Fine,” Ashley said as she turned and made her way out of the room.

“Fine,” Liara would not let Ashley out do her. She watched the woman leave before she headed out herself.

“Well, that was mature.” Shepard’s voice echoed humorously in her head.

“I’m not in a mature mood.” Liara said shutting the voice out and making her way back to the ship, the core segment firmly in her hands.


	6. Chapter 6

Tortuga.

They said that if hell had an island it would be called Tortuga. It had a long history, starting on Earth in the 17th century when pirates used it as a place to hide from the authorities. It continued to a space station around Earth about a hundred years before the Prothean archives had been found. That station had ended up destroyed in an explosion that no one had ever been able to figure out. Then they had named a planet after it. Of course, Humans were the only ones that really knew the whole history of the name. Most of the other Aliens were simply scoundrels looking for a place to hang their hat, or each other.

Tortuga had once been a planet with several settlements of wealth. A rather large deposit of eezo had been found just prior to the Reaper attack. With the chaos of the war the deposit had become a battle zone of its own. For five years several different organizations had fought bitterly over it. No one was ever completely sure who was running the mines; no one cared as long as they were paid.

Of course, not everyone working the mine was being paid either. The fact that the planet, once heavily guarded, had become a lawless pit invited every form of slave trader one could imagine. The gangs were rampant as well with several of the gangs having affiliations with mercenary groups. This was a cause of some major wars still fought on the very streets where people tried to live.

There was no concept of law and certainly no one brave enough to try and enforce any rules. It would take nothing short of a big bomb to clean up the place.

With all of the conflict the planet had to offer, it was an amazing place to hide.

Lissa slowly walked around the pit, looking for a good place to not only watch the fight below, but a vantage point where she could search most of the bar.

The Cerberus officer had once been hit in the head with a baton. It had pretty much taken her out of the fight, however, what she remembered most was the sound it had made. One would think it would be like an explosion, and she guessed it had been, but it was like a muffled explosion. She had been injured many times in many different ways, but there was never anything like a head injury. She could fight through cuts and bruises and even bullets, but that muffled explosion had taken her right out.

That was probably why she had such respect for the Krogan. Anyone who did not respect their strength and fortitude had never fought one. She had fought a couple over her time but did not fool herself. There was no toying with a Krogan, no false bravado. You took them serious and took them down fast, or they would trample all over you.

Lissa could not help but remember being hit by the baton as she watched the two Krogan charge at each other and collide with a head-butt as the large crowd cheered on. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against a post as she watched the combatants. She was not sure who the second Krogan was but Ren was pretty much a local hero who had never been beaten. She had bet against him. There was something in the eyes of this unknown fighter that Lissa respected.

The two circled each other some more. The thing with the Krogan was to stay in close. There large bodies and smaller arms did not lend to hand to hand combat. Instead they charged and used their heads. They also had some blunt teeth that tended to break bones when they bit.

She kept her eyes open as the two fought. There was a large amount of money being passed off as the fight continued. The fight was not her concern though; although making extra money was always nice, she was looking for someone else. Her eyes skimmed over the crowd. She hated Nunzio’s. It was too crowded, too chaotic. The only rule in the bar was not to mess with the owner. Not that too many people would take on the Krogan, he was a high ranking member of the Blood Pack. He did not fancy combat or head butting, he simply favoured the shot gun that was always just a second from his hands. There were too many souls to count which had been carried out of the establishment after arguing with Nunzio or messing with one of his 'employees'.

Employee was term used loosely. He had a few of the Blood Pack hanging about for security but the half-naked girls that served the drinks were not paid. Slavery ran rampant on Tortuga and there were plenty of Humans on hand to force into it. There were even some imported Asari. Nunzio had no problem with touching the slaves, not as long as you paid to do so.

There were times when Lissa wished she had a big fucking bomb. She hated coming here and the Ambassador knew it. It was almost as if he was testing her loyalty every time she came. She decided to focus on the Krogan matches and not the use and abuse of the women Nunzio employed.

She smiled to herself as Ren’s opponent avoided the older Krogan's attack and hit him from the side, forcing him into the wall. The younger Krogan then took the opportunity to gorge the older Krogan. He was like a wrecking machine, one that Ren had not expected, but then Ren was big and obnoxious and thought no one would ever beat him.

Ren struggled to get away from the younger Krogan, and every time he was almost free the young Krogan would smash him again. She could see Ren’s knees buckling. She figured it was over for the old man. There was a sudden squeal from the corner and she shifted her gaze for only a few seconds before she spotted the mercenary with a slave in the corner. She could not help but watch for a few seconds before the fighting crowd went wild and her attention was brought back to the fight.

She did not know what Ren had done but he was now standing over his opponent with his arms in the air. She could not tell of the other Krogan was dead or alive. She just knew that she had lost a lot of credits betting on him.

She cursed and made her way to the bar. She wanted to talk to her contact and get the hell out of this place as soon as possible. She sat on a stool and waited, ordering a drink to try and look like she fit in.

She had worn her armour for this trip. It was battle-weary and dark, and blended in with most of the other armour in the room. The only problem was that she did not. She knew she did not fit in, with her well-trimmed hair and clean face and hands. 

Her first few times at the bar she had been marked. Several people had tried to rob her or pick her up. None of them had been successful. She had earned her own reputation though and most now left her alone. There were always a few newcomers that tried to challenge her, or buy her. She was always very quick to let them know she was not a slave.

“Narth said you betted against me again.” Ren’s voice boomed from behind her. She smiled and turned to him.

“And one of these days I’m going to make a lot of money betting against you, Old Man.” She really had no idea how old he was, just that he had always been here. He never argued against her calling him old either. Ren laughed at her.

“You’ll be long dead and buried before I lose a fight.” Ren boasted. It was probably true. Lissa ordered him a drink. “So, who're you looking for this time?”

“I am sure you know. Not much goes through here that you don’t know.”

“Kai Leng has finally outlived his usefulness.” Ren smiled. That was an understatement. Not only had he outlived his usefulness, but he had decided to steal a part of something that the Ambassador had been after, making the Cerberus leader regret his decision to allow him to live. “It was only a matter of time. You’re not the first person to come here looking for him.” Lissa raised a brow and looked at him. “Some Human and a Drell were here a couple days ago.”

“A Human and a Drell,” Lissa echoed. She had an idea of who that was. The Shadow Broker was getting close as well. She could only wonder how much the Asari knew. Was she after Kai Leng for the sake of Kai Leng, or did she want the information and items he had stolen from the Ambassador? Either way Lissa would make sure she got to him first.

“I told them he doesn’t come here anymore. I figured you would be looking for him soon enough.”

“What gave you that idea?” Lissa took a drink. The green liquid felt smooth going down her throat. As bad as this place was, they sure could mix a drink.

“'Cause he couldn’t shut up about you, I’m not sure if he was angry or in love.” Ren chuckled at the face Lissa made. “There are worse people you could hook up with.”

“Not many.” Lissa stirred the drink slowly.

“He mentioned you kicked his ass and that for a shooter you packed a hell of a punch.”

“If he hadn’t run away I would have packed more than that.”

Ren chuckled again. “You Humans are good at talk.”

“You Krogan are not much better.” She smiled

“You know for Cerberus, you’re not half bad.” There was a moment of silence before Ren spoke again. “I got two things from him when he was here. One, he wants to screw Cerberus up bad; and two, he’s gunning for you, kid.”

She thought about this for a few moments. “Well, that might make things easy for me.” She thought out loud.

“Do not underestimate the man; he has survived a lot of things that would have killed a normal Human. I don’t know how many times I thought he was dead and then he showed up again. He has you in his sights and I think he’s going to come full out.”

“So he’s not here?”

“No, he came, had a fight or two to get out some frustration, and then left. I think he has it bad for you.”

Lissa laughed. “We were not even friends.” She put her drink down and threw some coins on the bar. “You think he’s heading inward, to the Terminus?”

“Well he can’t bring down Cerberus alone; I mean I don’t know how he can touch them at all. I figure you perhaps have a clue or two. Just figure out what you think his next move might be.”

She nodded. With the items he had he could go to the Alliance, but they would either kill him or arrest him on sight. That left the Terminus system and one of the Mercenary groups. The only problem with that was Kai Ling was the worse racist out there. He would not deal with the Blood Pack but the Eclipse and Blue Sun both had high complements of Humans. It would just be a matter of who Kai Leng hated the least. The Batarians were high on his list, but so were the Salarians.

“Yeah, that’s a little harder then it seems.” She rubbed her forehead. Ren laughed.

“Humans were unpredictable, not like Krogans, we get angry at each other, we just butt heads then go and have a drink.”

“Ren, when you get angry at someone they usually end up dead.”

“Yeah but that’s simple too.” He looked around. “I would place my money on the Blue Suns; Eclipse have always been a little bit feminine to me - too many Asari. If he was smart though he would start some sort of a bidding war; that is, if what he has is that good.”

It was Lissa’s turn to laugh. Ren was fishing now; if she answered that question then he would send the Blood Pack after Kai Leng. He was not part of the Pack but that was where his loyalty lay. “No Ren, this is personal.” Lissa patted him on the back and made her way out of the bar. Ren watched her leave; he really did love a strong woman. He looked back to the barkeep.

“Tail her,” He said simply, “and let Oster Sco know that I have something he might be interested in.”

¬

Lissa pored over the extranet looking for any information about Kai Leng. If he was going to auction the items he had stolen it would be there. She grew more frustrated by the moment. This was not her specialty. She knew he would go to the Terminus system; it was the next best hiding spot outside of Tortuga and the Nemean Abyss. He could hold out there and do his business without anyone really knowing who he was.

A Drell and a Human; it was easy to determine who they were. Drells were rare in the grand population of Galactic community; they preferred to stay on the Hanar home world. Very few ever left. She also knew that the Shadow Broker employed a Drell / Human team. This hunt for Leng was going to be a race, one she had to win. The Ambassador did not favour failure.

She moved to the front of her ship and sat down in the pilot seat. She would head to the Terminus system and the first thing she would do when she got there would be to get rid of the tail Ren had set up on her.


	7. Chapter 7

Liara was not sure what was more frustrating - the fact that every time she got a lead on deciphering the drive she hit a wall, or the fact that Ashley was constantly asking for reports. She was losing precious time and wanted to get back to either tracking down Kai Leng, or finding out who the blond woman was. She had a feeling they were probably intertwined.

She had been working on the cypher for just over three days now; she was beginning to wish she had brought Glyph with her. She was good but he had a processor built for things like this. A couple times she almost brought it to the Normandy but her pride decided against it.

She had been able to identify it as Reaper, but there was something more to it, something that made her skin crawl but she could not put her hands on it. It would explain why Cerberus wanted it though. It was simply a smaller part of a much bigger picture. She would need to send more resources towards Eclipse to find out what they had known.

She looked through her latest battery of algorithms and one by one they failed as well. She sighed in frustration and threw herself into a chair, rubbing her forehead.

“I remember when a nice massage and some wine would relax you.” Shepard's voice snuck once again into her head. Liara growled slightly.

“Why am I hearing your voice in my head now, why not five years ago?” She hissed.

“Hey, Blue, I am simply your subconscious. That blonde woman has put me here and you know it, you just don’t know why.”

“That’s true.” She said and shook her head.

“Call EDI. You know she will help you and not tell Ashley.”

Liara knew she would, she was being stubborn but as the Shadow Broker, she had learned to work alone. When she had first met Shepard she depended on the Human for a lot of things. Liara knew she had been naïve, but once Shepard died she had changed. During the two years after Shepard’s “death” she had learned independence, and she had learned assertiveness. She had been like a bull on a charge with the Shadow Broker as the Matador.

She remembered when Shepard had first reappeared in her office on Illium. She had been threatening to flay a man’s mind; she had written it off as simply a threat. She had told her lover that she would never have done that, but she would have, and in those two years she had done worse.

Shepard had brought her back, had taken her out of the darkness she had been allowing herself to descend into. Knowing Cayle still loved her seemed to fill a void that had torn open when she watched her lover die in the explosion of the original Normandy.

This time, when the Citadel had exploded with Shepard on it she had felt shock, depression, even sadness, but she had never felt that deep void. It was one of the reasons that she had never been completely convinced Cayle was dead.

She inhaled deeply and slammed her fist down on the arm rest. Twice she had been forced to abandon her lover.

As she hit the arm rest, her computer went off. She looked at it for a few moments before rising. It had finally been able to break through the firewalls. She was - finally - actually going to get somewhere. She smiled slightly to herself.

She took a step forward when a familiar voice grated through her the communications. “Liara, any luck?” It was Ashley.

“I think so.” She said moving to the computer. She watched as the data started to stream through. “Yes, I have finally broken the code.”

“I am on my way.”

“Great.” Liara mumbled to herself after the communication ended. “I just can’t wait to have you breathing down my neck.”

She continued to go through the information that was now appearing and as she did she felt a small flame of fear start in the pit of her stomach. She was glued to the screen before her as Ashley entered the room. The Lt. Commander stood with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Well?” She asked finally.

Liara looked to her. “It’s a small file, and it’s about Reaper technology.”

“Everyone has Reaper technology.” 

“Yes, but not everyone has Harbinger.”

It was quiet for a long time as both women let the implications sink in. 

Harbinger had been behind the Collectors and had tried to get Shepard’s body the first time she had died. It had guided the Collectors to wipe out colonies of humans and use them to try and make a Human Reaper. It followed Shepard relentlessly, almost to the point of obsessively. It had been on Earth during the final push of the battle. Harbinger had been what knocked Liara and Garrus out of the rush. Harbinger had been what eliminated all but Shepard and Admiral Anderson.

After it had taken out the Hammer force, Harbinger had disappeared. The allied forces had combed the wreckages on all the worlds that the Reapers had invaded but it had never been found. Most had theorized that it had made it back to Dark Space. There were even rumours of Harbinger being spotted here and there. It had become somewhat of a myth.

“Harbinger.” Ashley repeated finally. “Well shit, which has it now, Cerberus or Eclipse?”

“That would be the next big question.” Liara scratched at her temple. One could only hope that the Eclipse were the ones holding it, they were not as organized as Cerberus. Liara had a lot of information on them and more than a few “favours” to hold over some members of the organization. She had no information on this new Cerberus front. Basics really; they had a new leader, they booted Kai Leng and they have some blonde assassin working for them.

“How bad is Harbinger?” Ashley asked. It was a good question but there was one problem.

“I really don’t know. The theories run wild. The most common theory is that Harbinger is able to control the Citadel. Some believe that it might even be able to control other Reapers as well. It was the first after all. It holds the entire history of the Reapers and their technology. Not only that, but we don’t know its condition. It could still be active.”

Ashley whistled slightly and looked at the floor. “You think you can get some information, find out who has it?”

Liara looked to her. Finding Harbinger had just made to the top of three things to do list, that was just a given, but she certainly did not want to work with the Alliance. Rather, she did not want to work with Ashley.

“I will try, but it will take time. I can let you know as soon as I do.”

It was quiet for a long time as both women looked at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing on the small ship.

“I know you still don’t believe Shepard is dead.” Ashley started, but Liara jumped on her quickly.

“Ashley, now is not the time.”

“I feel like you blame me for her, for everything.”

Liara stuck her finger up into Ashley’s face, her anger building quicker than even she expected. “Is that what you think? That I am angry with you because she is gone? That I blame you for everything that had gone wrong in the Galaxy, that you’re some big bad evil witch?”

“Come on, Liara; whenever we are even near each other the air thickens. I know you are angry with me. Shepard was my friend too, like a sister. I miss her too. She was like a sister to me.”

“Was she, really?” Liara started crossing her arms over her chest. “Well, you certainly had a funny way of showing it. You stab all your sisters in the back?”

Ashley moved closer her own temper obviously starting to boil. “You watch what you accuse me of. I respect you because Shepard loved and respected you.”

“Stop it, Ashley! Do you even have any idea of how much your lack of trust in her hurt? Your words on Horizon, they haunted her! The fact that you did not trust her, accused her of being a traitor. Walking away from her like you did? She wanted you there, by her side to take down the Collectors and you would not even give her the time of day! She wanted you to have her back and you refused.”

“She was working for Cerberus.”

“She was trying to save the human colonies in the Terminus system that the Alliance would not! She worked for Cerberus because they would allow her to do that. When it was over she dumped them. She used them and you turned your back on her.”

“I was going on the information I was given at the time. How was I to know?”

“You didn’t need to know, Ashley, you just had to trust the woman who always had your back!”

“It was Cerberus; they could have been controlling her.” Ashley said defensively. Liara threw her hands in the air in frustration.

“Even after she left Cerberus and returned to Earth, you still doubted her! You were constantly questioning her, linking her with Cerberus. You pointed a gun at her for goddess' sake! All she ever did was support you, and you pulled a gun on her! She forgave you Ashley, even after all that she forgave you, but I will tell you this. It bothered her that you could never trust her.”

Ashley stood looking at the floor again, rubbing the back of her neck. “I wish I could take it back.” She said softly.

Liara suddenly felt bad for throwing all of this on the brunette woman. She sighed. “When you came back to the Normandy, Shepard was so happy. I mean, she was never the type to come out and tell you, but the crew of the Normandy had always been like her family. She lost Kaidan, Mordin and Thane; she really did not want to lose you too, you were like a sister. An annoying little sister that constantly argued, but a sister.” There was a long pause. 

“I miss her.” Ashley whispered.

Liara smiled slightly. “As do I Ash, so much that there are times I feel like my heart has shattered. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t see her in those last moments, that I don’t hear goodbye. There is not a day that I don’t think of how alone she must have been on the Citadel.” She began to fiddle with her own hands. “We were going to have lots of little blue babies.”

“I’m sorry Liara.” Ashley said earnestly. 

“I’m sorry too.” It was quiet for a few moments longer. “I have a lead on Kai Leng that I want to follow up on. Cerberus is looking for him. Rumour has it that he stole something and I’m thinking now it might have something to do with Harbinger. I would like to get to him before that Cerberus assassin does.”

“Liara, he bested Shepard twice, you need to be careful going after him.” The Alliance officer didn’t need to say it; it was obvious Ashley did not think Liara could hold her own. Liara was not an arms master like the woman before her, but she could certainly hold her own in a fight. She would need to be careful though, she had been there both times Kai Leng bested Shepard.

“I’ll be ok Ash, I won’t be alone. I am the Shadow Broker after all; I do have my own small army.” She smiled slightly. She had fired most of the original Shadow Broker's army and hired her own, personally overseeing the recruitment herself. Not only that, but she had added several independent mercenaries to her payroll.

“I will take this information to the Alliance and the council.” Ashley said. “See what they want me to do with it.”

Liara smiled. “What do you want to do with this information, Ashley?”

“I would like to find Harbinger and either destroy it or place it in safe hands.” Ashley said.

“And what are safe hands? The council, the Alliance? You don’t think either would use it to benefit themselves. Being a Spectre is sometimes deciding what is best for everyone as a whole. What would Shepard do?”

Ashley was silent for a while; they both knew the answer to that. “She would not let it fall into hands that would use it for their own purpose. Do you think the Alliance would do that, or the Council?”

“Time and again the Council has proven that they look after themselves first. The Alliance, even though they led the war, are still fumbling for a place; Harbinger and being in control of the Citadel would be a huge boost. Not only that but Cerberus fingers run very deep, would we truly know who to trust? I am going to look for Harbinger, Ashley; but if I find it I will destroy it. Shepard…” She could not say the words. “She’s not here because of what she did to destroy the Reapers and I will finish it for her.”

“If it means anything Liara, the Normandy and I will be there for you.” She could hear the determination in Ashley’s voice. She smiled at the woman.

“Thank you.” Liara whispered as she nodded. She watched as Ashley left her room and then turned back to the console she had been working on among the others that lined the wall. She just needed to get a hold of the two that were hunting Kai Leng. She rubbed her neck remembering the encounter she had with him where he threw her like a rag doll through the shrine on Thessia. He would not ever do that to her again. Taking care of Kai Leng would be another situation she would finish for Shepard.

Liara could only wonder why anyone would want to come to Horizon. She had come with Shepard all those years ago when Cerberus had built Sanctuary. Before Sanctuary, the Collectors had hit but Shepard had been able to stop them from taking the whole colony. It was still advertised as the next Earth but the population had pretty much dwindled to scientists. People still remembered the horrors that had happened here and some of the colonies were merely ghost town with the only signs of life a colony outpost that was funded by the Alliance.

It figured that Kai Leng would return to such a wretched place. Sanctuary had been demolished since the war and the underground tunnel sealed. Entry was barred. A large statue had been placed on its ground as a tombstone for all those that had died within. They would never know how many people perished, but they had listed as many names as they could on a wall that stood around the statue. Not that anyone ever came to see it. It was not even considered a tourist attraction. Just a memory that most wanted to forget. Liara knew she certainly wanted to forget it.

Another ship waited in orbit of the planet for her and she recognized Mouse’s new Mantis A-71 gunship immediately. He had, after all, taken pictures of it from every angle and sent it to her. He was extremely proud of it and he deserved to be. For the last four years he had saved just about every bit of pay Liara had sent his way, living in squalor, eating paste or whatever else he could get for free. When she had hired him he had said that one day he would have a ship of his own, and he had worked hard for it.

He shared it now with Koylat and they work well as a team. They were perhaps her most trusted agents behind Javik, but then the Prothean was more like muscle anyway.

Liara smiled as she spotted the name on the side of the ship: Krios. Not for Koylat, but Mouse had been close to Thane as well. She could not help but wonder what Shepard would make of the two; she had originally dealt with both of them as they were working outside of the law. She opened communication with them.

“Hello, Boss Lady.” Mouse’s voice filled her room. He always called her that. She had tried to discourage it once but it had never worked.

“Hello Mouse, is he here?” She said cutting right to the chase.

“He landed a few hours ago, Krios went down to try and find him.” There was a pause. “I have not heard back from him.” She could hear the worry in Mouse’s voice. 

Liara did not like the sound of that, but Koylat was one of the best trackers she knew and he had this knack of blending in to pretty much anything. The communication silence could have been for anything: there were some very dense forest areas on the planet. He could be too close to Kai Leng to make a report. They would not be able to find out from up here.

“I am sure everything is fine. Koylat is very capable at what he does; we will go down and find him.” She smiled reassuringly even though Mouse could not see her.

“Sounds good. I’ll meet you on the…” He was cut off as a third; larger ship came out of FTL. It was obviously some sort of gunship and it looked dangerous. It stopped in front of them hovering, menacing.

“I don’t think this is a good thing.” Liara said to Mouse as she paged Falere to the bridge. The other woman had obviously been on her way judging by how fast she made it.

“Who is it?” She asked strapping herself in. Of the two of them Falere was the much better pilot. She took the control.

“I don’t know but I have a bad feeling about this.” Liara said preparing herself for the worst.


	8. Chapter 8

Lissa was still struggling to understand how Kai Leng had any friends. She had known him for almost three years and although they had started to become friendly, he had blown it by jumping on one of her jobs. She knew he had been trying to help, and that he had wanted to impress her. She still remembered how proud he looked when he had told her. She knew he liked her; he had been following her around for a while. In their line of work it was hard to find someone compatible to try and share some time with. Kai Leng obviously thought that he had found somewhat of a companion in her.

He had been wrong. She scowled as she pulled her ship from port and headed towards the Mass relay. She was more than certain that her shoulder was eventually going to give out, but she knew where the assassin was now and she wanted to end this. She hated leaving a job open for too long, and Kai Leng had been making her dance through hoops to find him. The worst part was she got the impression he wanted her to do so.

She had landed on Illium two days ago. The Ambassador had contacted her with information that Kai Leng was there. He had also reminded her that he did not suffer failure well, a stark reminder that he was a harsh man. He had once stabbed her in the hand with a knife when she had attracted too much attention by shooting a target instead of cutting his throat. She had almost been arrested and his thugs in C Sec had covered her tracks. He hated owing them anything and he made sure she was aware of that fact. She did not want to see what his punishment would be if she failed to get the device back from Kai Leng, and eliminate him in the process.

She grunted in discomfort and she used her injured arm to flip through maps until she landed on Shadow Sea. Why the hell anyone would want to go to that cursed placed was beyond her. Knowing Kai Leng, he probably had a house and a cottage. He was partial to misery and Horizon had certainly seen its unfair share of it.

She had not been a part of Sanctuary. That had been the Illusive Man’s pet. He had built the facility as a trap. He needed people for his inhumane experiments and what better way to get line ups then to offer them safety? The Illusive Man's greatest achievement had been the downfall of Cerberus.

When the Alliance had found the structure, not only had the Alliance and its allies been outraged, many of the Cerberus benefactors had been as well. It had taken the Ambassador five years to get things in order again. To convince the investors that he did not condone the mass murder the Illusive Man had committed, that the Illusive Man had gone beyond his reach in this endeavour.

Not that the Ambassador or any of the investors were beyond the ends justifying the means, it was just hard to justify when the means was that big.

Illium had once been a beautiful planet. You could still see some of cities that the Asari had built, but they were few and far between. Nos Astra was one such city that had been rebuilt since the Reaper attack; however it was merely a shadow of its former self. The safety one used to seek in a place such as this was gone. It was no longer a simple step up from Omega. It had fallen to par and somewhat even less.

Lissa hated it even more then she hated Omega. At least on the Asteroid you knew what you were getting into. There was no pretense that it was a pleasant place. Illium was still trying desperately to maintain the image that they were safe. There were certainly pockets that were protected, but for the most part it was no better then it’s poorer counterpart.

Lissa had decided that after the most recent encounter that she hated Illium.

The Ambassador was rarely wrong, and he had assured her that Kai Leng had been on the Asari planet. She had even been able to track him down, and Kai Leng had at one point been hiding in an old secret Cerberus facility just outside of Nos Astra. He was long since gone by the time Lissa arrived, but he did leave a few little presents, like he had been expecting her. The building he had been “staying” in had been trapped from one end to the other and ended in a room that held three of those Phantoms he was been so fond of. 

She had entered the room cautiously enough, even though she had realized at that point Kai Leng was gone. She had to, in good conscience, finish a complete search. She should have expected something but she was stupid enough to let her guard down slightly, slightly enough that she had not even seen the slight ruffle in the background as the Phantom came out of cloak and stuck that stupid sword of hers through Lissa’s shoulder.

Lissa had retaliated by grabbing the woman’s hand and pulling it, pushing the sword deeper but bringing the woman closer. At the same time she snapped her hand up and under her chin, hitting it point blank with her incinerate. The Phantom reeled back, but didn’t go down. Of course she didn’t, she was almost half machine. When the hand came towards her, Lissa moved out of the way and used the Phantom's own momentum against her. She grabbed the woman’s wrist as it went by and twisted hard, nearly pushing her through the wall with her good arm. It was not a life stopping manoeuvre, but it would allow her time to get some distance between them.

The other thing that worried her was that Kai Leng had five or six of these things in his employ. She needed to make sure that this one was alone. As the Phantom recovered Lissa exited the room at top speed as she withdrew her pistol. She swung around and opened fire but the Phantom had cloaked.

This time she was more aware of what she was up against, and the Phantom was not the only one with cloaking technology. She cloaked herself long enough to remove the sword from her shoulder, although she was certain her screaming gave away her position. She had never thought the sword would hurt more coming out, but then she did not have time to make it gentle.

The blast from the Phantom hit the ground just to her left, and she rolled out of the way and began to run again. She had been training in martial arts for some time with Kai Leng, but the Phantoms were almost bred for this sort of thing. Only a fool would stand toe to toe with them at close quarters.

She turned into another room and was about to fire again when a second Phantom came out of cloak and attacked. This time Lissa was not interested in playing. Again she moved out of the way of the attack, dropping the sword she had been carrying. Her fingers clenched down on a sticky bomb and jammed it into the Phantom's armour, and dove out of the way as it exploded. As she turned to face the first Phantom, she found herself covered in blood and things she really didn’t want to think about. She opened fire again only to have the Phantom dance out of the way. She hated these things.

Again she narrowly missed the blast from the Phantom’s hand diving to the ground. She put her hand down for balance and found it resting on the hilt of the sword she had abandoned. She crawled backwards as the Phantom came at her, letting it close the gap just enough. When she was in range, Lissa flung the sword as hard as she could and watched as it sunk into the Phantom's stomach. It stopped her mid-attack, and she fell to her knees. Lissa lifted her pistol and shot twice for good measure.

Once the Phantom fell, Lissa allowed herself to collapse back to the ground. She realized that Kai Leng was gone and this was his attempt to kill her. She was not sure if she was angry at him for trying, or angry at herself for getting injured. Either way she would take it up with him when they met.

She was struggling to get up when she heard the Phantom she had just shot sputter. Lissa raised a brow and struggled to her knees and moved over to the Phantom. She reached down and removed the mask, making a face. These half human husks always seemed to make her sick.

“Where is he?” She asked. The Phantom just stared at her through half-dead eyes. Lissa winced on the inside as she pushed her thumb hard against where one of her bullets had gone into the Phantom's chest. The Phantom screamed and Lissa almost stopped, but she had a job to do. “You owe him nothing for allowing this to be done to you.”

Again there was no response. Lissa sighed and stood up. She knew these things were not really human, not anymore; more a program than anything else. They were horrible when they were creations of the Reapers. Knowing that a human had done this made it even worse. This was never what Cerberus intended; they did not want to bastardize humanity, they wanted to make it stronger. Lissa shot the Phantom one last time, making sure her suffering was over.

This had forced her to have to visit Teim Nam, and she could not stand Teim Nam; as a matter of fact, if there was one race she certainly did not like it was the Volus. She liked them even less than she liked the Vorcha. She was not sure if it was the breath they took in the middle of every sentence, or that most of them were dirtier than a mud bath.

Teim had made her give him a song and dance for the information he gave her about Horizon. As usual everything he did with her, or any female of any race, was laced with a million sexual innuendos. Suffering him was akin to suffering salt in a wound.

He had given her the information, and after a picking up some packages he wanted delivered, she had been on her way. She just wished she had taken the time to go to a medical centre. Her shoulder was hurting something fierce. She had used medigel but that was no better than a bandage.

As she approached the relay she entered the co-ordinates of where she wanted to go and headed for the Mass relay. She was struggling to bind her wound by herself. It was no small task. She had no talent working with just one hand. She looked up as the familiar pull ended and she paused to activate the FTL drive. A few moments later she found herself in orbit around Horizon and coming face to face with two ships that were already there. She froze as she looked out to them, a bandage hanging out of the side of her mouth as she had been trying to tie the gauze down. She knew the first ship to be a Mantis A-71. It was a powerful ship in its own right. The Cerberus Griffon that she flew was only slightly more powerful. The other ship she did not recognize right away. With her good hand she did several quick checks.

“T’Soni.” She spit out the bandage, giving up with it. She had bigger concerns at the moment, like two-to-one odds. She opened fire quickly, hitting the M-71, targeting the Mass accelerators before the ship could get its kinetic barriers up. It was more than obvious that the two ships were not expecting company. She fired at T’Soni as well but the Asari was fast. The A-71 was out of the battle, but the Shadow Broker was not. She threw out a torpedo which Lissa was barely able to counter. The small fight then turned into a chase as Lissa headed into the planet’s atmosphere. T’Soni raced after her.

Lissa made a quick turn and headed towards a canyon she had spotted. T’Soni’s ship was bigger and faster than the Griffon, but the small Cerberus ship had maneuverability. The Shadow Broker launched an attack and Lissa was forced to concentrate to avoid being hit. If she made one wrong move now, she would simply be a stain on a cavern wall. As she flew through the canyon she spotted a long covered tunnel. She could head through that and get behind the larger ship. It would certainly change the semantics of the chase and put her more in charge of it.

She looped them around and hit the tunnel at top speed. As she entered the covered canyon, she slowed down for a few seconds and then gunned it again, enough that when she came out of the canyon she would be in a better position. She flew out and was surprised to find that the Shadow Broker had thought of the exact same thing. The only problem now was Lissa had nowhere to manoeuvre as she plowed into the back of the bigger ship, causing them both to make an awful noise. She quickly powered her ship down as it was now attached to Liara’s ship. She let the Asari have the control; to fight for it would only mean an instant crash and burn.

She cursed to herself. This was the second time in one day she had made a bad choice. She could only hope that this one would not get her killed. As it was, it was going to be painful. They were going to crash; there was no doubt about that. She had to admit Liara was a talented pilot as she got them out of the canyon and into a wooded area, and with some height to boot. For a few seconds, Lissa actually thought maybe they would make it. Then the loud tearing sound filled the air as her ship tore away and began to fall.

“Oh, shit.” She said as she attempted to power the Griffon back up. It didn’t start. She could see the Shadow Broker's ship plummeting as well. She thought about ejecting, but they were far too close to the ground for that. Instead she did her best to level the ship out.

She landed once but the ship was not stopped yet. As a matter of fact it launched into the air again and skipped like a rock in the water. Lissa had no idea of how many times it did this as objects were blowing up around her. She had hit her head twice and as with all bad karma, everything that was loose in the cockpit hit her already injured shoulder. When the ship finally came to its resting place the only thing Lissa was thankful for was she was alive. Everything else felt horrible.

She sat in her chair, which was actually lying sideways on the floor, for a few moments as she collected her thoughts and bearings. The first thing she needed to do was find her arms and armour. She reached down with her bad arm and released the clasp that held her in place. She fell rather unceremoniously to the ground.

She grunted with effort as she stood and proceeded to the cargo hold part of the Griffon. She grabbed a med kit and did her best to fix what she could, but the pain still remained. It took her a few minutes to realize there was a slight greenish blue cloud filling the room, coming from Teim’s packages. As she inhaled the fumes, she realised the Volus was having her deliver some sort of drug. She stared at it for a long moment, observing just how beautiful the cloud was.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She found her armour and quickly changed into it before grabbing her Black Widow and pistol. She always felt so much better when her Widow was with her. She cradled it in her arm and stroked it as if it was a baby. She smiled as she left her ship, everything was starting to blend together in a very colourful way and her pain slowly dissolved into a dull roar.

She shook her head again and inhaled the Horizon air, hoping that would get the drug out of her system. Then it truly hit her.

“Oh wow.” She said, looking up into the blue sky and falling back to the ground. Lissa had never once taken a drug before; neither was she particularly a drinker. Sure there were a few times during her training she had gotten drunk and done really stupid things, but they were few and far between.

She kept licking her lips, they were so smooth and the motion of her tongue on her lips was almost euphoric. She paused and shook her head again trying to shake this wonderful feeling that seemed to be taking her over. Her heart was racing and she felt like she was floating. She rolled onto her stomach and forced herself to stand, still cradling her Black Widow like a baby.

“Need to clear my head.” She said and frowned as she looked over her omni-tool. There was nothing there that would help her, but it did look particularly shiny today. She scratched at her face as an itch began to bother her. She knew she should be concerned for her health, and she knew that she had a job to do; she was just finding it a little bit hard to care.

She could hear someone approaching and froze, her eyes darting around. She spotted a bush by a tree and bolted for it, however before she even made it a figure stepped out in front of it and she stumbled slightly. She looked up as the sun seemed to shine solely on the woman that looked down at her. She was like a Goddess, standing there with concern in her beautiful big blue eyes. They stared at each other for a long time. Damn, but Lissa really had a thing for the Asari people.

Without thinking, she stood and approached the woman. Before the Asari could do anything, Lissa cupped her chin and rubbed her cheek with her thumb. “You are so beautiful...” she whispered, leaning forward to kiss the woman. The moment their lips touched all sorts of sparks started to explode and she felt as if this kiss was right in so many ways. The Asari resisted for a second but then found herself drawn into the kiss as well. Lissa felt her hands on her waist, pulling her close. It was as if they were meant to fit together in some strange way. Either that or the drug was a hell of a powerful thing.

“Liara?” Someone called and Lissa opened her eyes and realized who she was kissing. She jerked away quickly.

“What the hell?” She sputtered.

“Cayle.” The Asari whispered and reached out for her. Lissa jumped back as if the woman’s hand was on fire and slapped it away. The world was spinning around her and she needed to get away. She turned and stumbled, not really sure where she was going, just knowing that she needed to get away from these Asari that were at her ship.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Moments with Shepard had always been few and far between. After they had first admitted their feelings for each other they had one special night before they dealt with Saren. That first was, for Liara, the most memorable. She had never seen Cayle as vulnerable as she had been that night. Her lover had allowed her to see a side of her she had never shown anyone, and Liara had treasured every moment.

Liara remembered the young Commander actually blushing as she had tried to explain how she had been reading and watching vids about the Asari. It was cute, how Cayle’s hands fidgeted with each other and she looked everywhere but at Liara. Then when she finished telling her she looked at her lover as if daring her to laugh or make issue with it. There was no laughing as they kissed. The young human had been a great hands-on learner. Not that Liara had much to compare it to either, but the word "Heaven" came to mind.

She had watched Cayle battle both physically and emotionally as they struggled to stop Sovereign. Her strength had actually scared Liara at first, but soon she had learned that it was Shepard’s strength that carried the team. It was Shepard’s strength that had drawn Liara to her. Seeing her struggling and vulnerable had endeared the Asari to her, it had actually sent feeling through her that she had never experienced before. Not that Liara had any more experience in this regard than the human. But Shepard was so strong and so determined that she always met every challenge head on leaving a trail of destruction behind her. She always did what she had to without complaint and to her fullest, she never stepped back, never caved in. It was one of the reasons why people followed her.

Her loyalty to her people was legendary; she always put their concerns before herself. Sure they all went on dangerous missions, but Shepard had always done her best to bring each of them back. Liara had never forgotten how devastated Cayle had been when they lost Kaiden. There was not a day that had gone by where the Human did not try to think of what she could have done to save everyone. She had never accepted it as impossible, only a failure and a learning experience. She had told Liara that she would never lose anyone again, but they both knew that was impossible.

That first night together, she would never forget Shepard’s gentle clumsiness, the tremble in her hands as they explored Liara’s body, bringing out sensations Liara had never experienced before. The little, almost silent throaty grunts through her slightly parted lips as Liara explored her body. Cayle was an intense person at the best of time but that night it was mixed with desperation and love.

Liara had been surprised when she took Shepard into her arms, lying in the afterglow; the young Human trembled, her head resting against the Asari’s chest. Completely vulnerable and open, and completely trusting in Liara and her love.

Liara had never forgotten that night, she still dreamed of it on occasion. Not that any other night with Shepard had been less, but it had been the first.

This was the memory she wanted to hold as Falere fought to get their ship back under control. If they were going to die, she wanted to die with that memory.

Sparks and flames were intermittently shooting through the cockpit as Falere curse under her breath. Liara felt the ship pull up, and she could only wonder if that was a good idea. It would just make the fall that much worse. However, the sudden steep climb was enough to finally shake the Cerberus ship that had crashed into them. Falere seemed to finally gain some control.

“There, that wasn’t too bad.” Liara said with a smile and a nod to her talented pilot.

“We are going to have to land, we can’t break atmosphere.” Falere answered not sharing the Shadow Broker's enthusiasm. “Landing is…”

Explosions cut the Asari off as the ship suddenly tilted and began to plummet towards the ground. “This is not good!” Liara called over the loud noise the ship was now making.

“You are very good with understatements, T’Soni.” Falere bit her bottom lip as she fought the control trying to at least level the ship. She did not want a head-on collision with the ground. The older Asari’s hands flew over the control and finally managed to control the descent, at least a little bit. The ship leveled off and a slight reversal of the remaining engine was enough to slow them down. That did not lessen the impact with the ground as Liara felt her straps digging into her skin. When the ship finally stopped moving it was quiet for a few moments until suddenly, both women started to laugh. It took them a few moments to get over the nervous laughing fit they were having. Falere cut her straps first and moved over to help Liara out of hers.

“You ok?” She asked. Liara nodded but winced as she tenderly touched the bruises the straps had left behind. 

“You?”

“I don’t think anything’s broken.” Falere replied as they made their way out of the ship. “Communications is down.”

“You didn’t happen to see where we landed, or where the other ship landed?” Liara asked, one look at Falere told her she had not. At least they had Mouse to come down and get them, whenever he figured out he needed to.

“I see smoke over there a bit; I would guess that would be the other ship.” The Ardat Yakshi stated.

“Well, I suggest we go and find out who that was.” Liara knew it had been a Cerberus Griffon, not that all of them housed Cerberus officers but in this case she would hazard a guess that this one did. She took a few moments to collect the things she would need while Falere pinpointed their location on her omni-tool.

She handed Falere a pistol and took one for herself. She almost laughed at her assistant's reaction to the weapon.

“I don’t know how to use one of these...” Falere said, holding it by the barrel. Before Liara had employed her, Falere was housed in a Monastery with other Ardat Yakshi. A place where they could learn to control the power they could wield.   
She had been the only survivor of the Reaper massacre at the Monastery.

Falere had promised to stay in the destroyed building alone but Liara had felt sorry for her and given her an alternative. Falere’s condition was deadly, but the Asari was more than able to control her urges. However, Liara was prone to keeping her out of harm’s way. Unfortunately this little excursion had not been planned and now both of them were trapped on the planet.

She had thought of leaving Falere with the ship and let her try and get communications running again. But she then decided that until they dealt with the possible Cerberus threat, she would keep the other Asari close.

Liara smiled and took the pistol, connecting it to Falere’s belt. “I am sure you know enough.” She said and stood. “You probably will not need to use it, but you will have it just in case.” They were both biotics, powerful biotics, but Liara had never really seen Falere in any sort of combat.

Falere looked at her for a moment as if she had two head. Running around a strange forest after some pilot who was crazy enough to ram their ship was not her idea of a good time. She was more of the office, I’ll get your info and your coffee sort of person. She had shot a gun, once, out of curiosity but it was loud and rough. She preferred her biotics. “Are you sure it’s wise to hunt this unknown person? We know nothing about who it is, we have limited computers and no communications.”

Liara smiled. “We will be fine.” She said. She had never really seen combat herself until she had met Shepard. It had been Cayle who had taught her how to properly fire a gun. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and they died in the crash.”

“Or they could be hunting us down.” Falere countered.

“Only one way to find out,” Liara led them away from her ship.

The distance between the two crash sights had not been as far as it looked. It had only taken just over an hour. The Griffon had taken a lot more damage than their ship. She actually figured it was in its final resting place. She moved around to the back, her pistol drawn, and motioned for Falere to go in the other direction.

She spotted the armoured figure on the ground, writhing and moaning something she could not really make out. It was the blonde hair she recognized first, the short cut, usually neat hair of the assassin from Earth. She was obviously injured, as she had blood on her cheek, but Liara was not certain this was what was affecting her at the moment. It was simply not that kind of moaning. She moved closer and the woman snapped up to a kneeling position, shaking her head as if trying to clear it.

There was something severely wrong with the woman and she was bleeding from the shoulder, she could see the blood leaking out from the armour. For some reason seeing this woman hurt affected her on a level she could not understand.

“Are you ok?” Liara asked bending slightly looking into the woman’s bright green eyes. She noticed the almost fully dilated pupils. She was high on something; she had not pegged the blonde as an addict.

What happened next took Liara by storm. The woman was standing right in front of her in an instant. She was fast for an injured, drugged out human. But then Liara felt the woman’s hand cup her cheek, her thumb caressing her gently. 

“You are beautiful.” The woman whispered, and then she kissed her. Liara’s hands went to her hips with the intention to push the woman away but the kiss, she had been kissed like this before. She had been kissed by these lips before.   
Instead of pushing the woman away she placed her hands on her hips and gripped tightly, pulling her closer.

It was as if her whole world started spinning and the only thing that was right was this kiss. Her mind and heart were racing but her mind only focused on the kiss. Time had frozen.

“Liara.” Falere’s voice reached her, it was filled with concern. The blonde woman opened her eyes and jerked away as if she had been slapped.

 

“What the hell?” She sputtered.

“Cayle...” Liara whispered it was her; there was no doubt in Liara’s mind. The kiss, her voice, her lips, she imagined the woman with long black hair and blue eyes and it was Cayle. She reached out, wanting to draw the woman back to her.

The Cerberus assassin jumped back as if Liara’s hand was on fire and slapped it away. She then turned and ran. 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Falere drawing her pistol and aiming it at the woman’s back.

“No!” She screamed and biotically pushed the gun away as it fired. Falere turned her head and looked to her. “No...” Liara whispered. She looked toward where the woman - Shepard - had run off to, placing her fingers over her lips, still feeling the kiss. She looked to Falere. “That was her.” She stated.

Falere obviously had no idea what Liara was talking about. She turned to her boss. “That was who?”

“Shepard.”

Falere stopped for only a few moments to consider this. “She’s a well-trained assassin.” They entered the Griffon. “She doesn’t even look like Shepard. She works for Cerberus. Shepard would...” She paused and thought about that: “...not work for Cerberus in that capacity.”

“She never worked for Cerberus; she just took their funding and information and used it to defeat the Collectors.” Liara defended and made a face as she accidently stepped into something that caused a blue cloud around her foot.

“Ember.” Falere said. 

“The box is broken; she must have inhaled this by accident.” Liara could not help but smile. “It must have been a ride.”

“I wouldn’t know; Ember doesn’t affect us.” Falere said. “Except, maybe a slight effect on our biotics.” She said. Liara looked to her.

“Well, that’s not good.” They might need those; they were going after Kai Leng after all. She could only hope that it was out of their system before they found him.

“How do you figure she’s Shepard?” Falere asked finally.

“I’m not telling, I’ll just have to listen to you tell me how foolish it is.”

“Liara?”

Liara sighed as she made her way to the cockpit. Concern filled her as she noticed just how much blood was on the pilot’s seat. “It was in the kiss.” Liara said as she cut away a part of the bloodied seat, “The way she held me, the feel of her hands.” She looked to Falere. “It’s not something you ever forget.”

“Her communicator is still working.” Falere said. “You want me to have Mouse come down?”

“Yes, then we can track her down and hopefully she will lead us to Kai Leng and we can get this over with.” She paused. Then she would find Shepard and do whatever it took to get her back.

Mouse had taken Falere back with him aboard his ship and she had teamed up with Krios. Liara felt much better knowing that Falere was now out of harm’s way.

Kolyat had come a long way since Shepard and Thane had stopped him from making the biggest mistake of his life. Not that Liara was ever truly convinced that the young Drell would ever have pulled the trigger. She knew he wanted to think he could do it but not even he was completely convinced.

Krios had a good heart. He was kind and thoughtful and exceedingly smart. He was also cunning and sly and one of the most covert people she knew. He had been working for her for the better part of three years and he had never failed her in the information he was able to gather.

Today was no different.

They lay low in the bushes looking at the factory about three hundred meters away. There were three guards at the main door and two on each of the additional doors. Kolyat had confirmed that Kai Leng was inside. He had two of his Phantoms with him and the rumour was he had something that Cerberus wanted, something essential to whatever they took from the Eclipse. He had just not been able to figure out what it was. He did know that there was some sort of an auction going on inside via the extranet.

“I don’t think the front door approach would be best.” Liara said, “Any roof access?”

“That would not be easy. He has guards all over the place and I am sure someone would see us scaling a wall.” Kolyat said. “However, on the other side there is this one entrance. It has two guards but one of them smokes and the other doesn’t like it so he goes for a walk while he does. We could take them out one at a time.”

Liara scowled slightly, she and Kolyat would not be able to take on two Phantoms as well as Kai Leng. She certainly did not want to involve Falere or Mouse. They would simply be no match for the Cerberus assassins and Liara would not allow that. She would have to come up with a spectacular plan.

She suddenly wished Tali and Garrus were here. Tali could hack into anything. She had been good during the war but gotten so much better since. Tali often helped her get some deeply buried information. Garrus would have been a welcome gun on this outing. They had children to think of now though, and Liara would never endanger that.

“Falere told me about the Cerberus assassin.” Kolyat said turning to face her.

“Falere talks too much.” Liara said, a little bit angry.

“She is just worried about you, as am I. We have become a little bit of a family, the lot of us.” Kolyat said. “None of us want to see you get hurt.”

Liara looked to him for a minute. “It was Cayle.” Liara said. “I understand now is not the time to chase her and we need to find out what Cerberus did to her, but when this Kai Leng business is over, we will be dealing with it.”

“And what if it’s not her, just someone like her?”

Liara sighed and looked down. They did not understand, they did not believe. It didn’t matter she believed, she would bring Cayle back. “What are the chances of that?”

“Better than the chances of Shepard surviving the blast on the Citadel, getting kidnapped by Cerberus and transferred into some assassin woman.” Kolyat said.

He was right, they had all become like a family and Kolyat was the wise older brother. He and Falere were closest to her, with Mouse being the weird cousin and Javik being the older reclusive weird and opinionated Uncle. She had hoped they would have least supported her in her beliefs.

“She was never found.” Liara countered.

“Hundred and thousands of people were never found. From what I understand there was not much of Admiral Anderson to bury and he was slightly away from the blast. Liara, please... I worry that you could really get hurt.”

She smiled to him and resisted the urge to hug him. “I will be fine.” She said simply. “Let’s go to the other side and wait for that guard to go for a smoke.”

She let Kolyat guide her around. He had been the one that had spent hours scouting the place out and admittedly he was better than her at this sort of thing. She had not really done anything like this in five years.

As they moved, her mind wandered. She understood why her friends had their doubts, why they were all concerned, but she knew. She was absolutely sure that the blonde woman was Shepard. She was a little bit less sure on how Cayle had become a Cerberus assassin, but she knew there was an answer. She knew it in her heart the instant their lips touched. The question now was how to get her back.

“I don’t remember anything.” She remembered Cayle saying, the scene replayed in her head. Edi had shown Shepard a program about the Lazarus project. She remember the tone in the Spectre's voice, she had never heard it before; doubt, confusion, fear. Her heart had gone out to her lover as she struggled to understand what had happened to her. What Liara had allowed to happen to her.

“Maybe they really just fixed me, or maybe I’m just a high tech VI that thinks its Commander Shepard. But I don’t know…”

“I wish you told me, Shepard. I knew it was really you the first time I touched you again.” Liara had tried to console her. It was true though, literally the first time on Illium, where they touched and Shepard had kissed her, she knew it was Shepard and not just something Cerberus had built. She knew it now and she was going to get her lover back.

She felt Kolyat grab her and pull her down with a jerk; she fell to her knees behind some tall grass. She looked around and then at him.

“Over there, just behind that jeep.” He said and pointed. She saw it immediately, the human laying on the ground, a pool of blood around his head. She looked at the second guard who she had thought, at first, was leaning against the jeep.

She now realized he was wedged between the pile of boxes and the corner panel and was not moving, his head angled awkwardly. “It seems as though your ghost has been here.”

“Well, we seem to be after the same thing.” Liara said. “If we get lucky, she wants him dead as well.”

“Yes but if she gets whatever it is he has it will go back to Cerberus and somehow, I just do not think that’s a good thing.” 

They moved again, past the two dead guards and into the complex. Once inside he activated his scanner. “There is a room closer to the middle and two flights down. It contains three people. You friend is approaching the room.”

She nodded and let him lead, as she withdrew her pistol. The scanners were never fully accurate and she wanted to make sure she could cover her partner. “I’m thinking we let your friend take out the Phantoms and then we race her for Kai Leng. I have a bag of that Ember that is so useful on humans. Falere thought it might come in handy.”

Liara nodded slowly. She was more than certain that she did not want to drug this woman knowing it was Shepard, but she was deadly and they did not need another threat. Besides, they could use it to subdue her and return her to the Alliance and let them figure everything out. No, Liara mentally shook her head, she would not be taking Cayle back to the Alliance, she would bring her home and try and fix it herself.

“Let’s go see what we have first.” Liara answered.

They traveled down a set of stairs to the level they required, it was only a short trip to the room that hopefully contained Kai Leng. They could hear fighting before they even reached the room. Kolyat entered first with Liara at his heels.

The blonde woman - Cayle - was indeed there and was already in the heat of battle. One of the Phantoms lay dead off to the side of the room and the Cerberus agent was head to head with Kai Leng with a second Phantom standing back as if waiting.

The fight was fast, almost dizzying as they beat on each other, but it was obvious woman was getting tired and faltering. Kai Leng had that smug smirk on his face he always had. Liara remembered that Cayle was injured.

“What are we doing boss?” Kolyat asked.

Liara watched, not sure what to do. Had it been anyone else down there she would have waited and simply eliminated the victor.

“Just hand over the control device, Kai.” She heard Shepard say.

“Now why would I do that, I’m winning.” The ex-Cerberus officer said. He was playing with her. She was too injured to keep up with him yet she fought anyway. It just convinced her further that the blonde was indeed Shepard. “I like this, can we call this foreplay?”

The blonde assassin grunted her response and attacked once again but Kai Leng danced around her attack and punched her on the side of the face. She snapped around and came back firing her pistol. Leng was forced to backpedal and move for cover. Shepard gave him no space though as she charged into him causing them both to fall to the ground.

Liara actually smiled as she watch the woman lift the bag from Leng’s belt and place it on her own. The man had not noticed it as he threw her off.

“Lissa, I have the power. The Ambassador can’t do anything without the device.” Kai Leng said as they circled each other. Liara raised her pistol not liking where this conversation was going. “Come with me and we can beat him together.”

“What are you doing?” Kolyat whispered.

“She has the device, we get her out of here and we can take it from her.” Liara lied. Her heart was beating hard in her chest. She was not going to let this bastard take Cayle away from her, not when she just found her again.

“I’d rather rot in Hell.” Shepard said. Liara could not help but smiled slightly. That’s my girl. She thought to herself.

Kai Leng’s smile turned into a scowl. Gripping his sword tightly he launched at the woman. Cayle moved backwards ducking from his blade and using her arm plating to block. She smiled slightly as she moved backwards. Suddenly she had a sticky grenade in her hand; Cayle hit him with it and rolled back towards the door. 

“Good night.” She said and ran as the Phantom suddenly spurred into motion. Leng was already swatting the grenade away but the blast sent him flying. Liara pushed at Kolyat and they used the distraction to exit the building themselves.

“We need to find her.” Liara said. She needed to find her. She wanted her Shepard back.


	10. Chapter 10

The water had been cold, but not cold enough to bring her to her senses. The drug that had affected her was still running its course and she was fighting the best she could. She swore for what seemed like the millionth time that she would kill Tiem. He had told her about the packages and she had thought they were guns; had she known they were drugs she would never have agreed to deliver them.

Of course what bothered her more was her behaviour. She took a deep breath as she splashed more cold water over her face. Her body was trembling but she was not sure if it was from her injuries, the cold, or the withdrawal. Either way she was not in any shape to take on Kai Leng. Not that she had any choice; the Ambassador did not accept excuses and he wanted that device, and he wanted Leng dead.

She stood slowly, holding her bad arm with her good one and sighed. He should have let her kill him that first day. Then she would not be here, on this godforsaken planet, injured, cold and high on some drug.

She also would not have the memory of kissing that Asari.

It was not just the kiss, which she could easily chalk up to the drug, which she could have handled. Hell, she would have maybe even played with T’Soni some more. It was the feelings that came with the kiss, not want and desire like one would expect. They were there but they took a back seat to familiarity of the kiss, the feelings that were attached to it, like love. When Liara had pulled her closer, Lissa had wanted to stay in her arms.

It had scared the hell out of her. She, who once taken on and defeated a Krogan Battle Master. She had eliminated the entire Cerberus council, killed the Salarian Dalatrass, and faced down a thresher maw. One kiss from an Asari and she was running.

She began to pace, then decided that walking to where she needed to go would be just as useful. The whole time she walked she thought about the Shadow Broker; it was driving her insane. She should have killed both her and the Turian back on Earth but she had not been able to bring herself to do it. She should have killed her when she spotted her on this planet but instead she kissed her. Even now, she should be focusing on Kai Leng and all she could think of was Liara and just how beautiful she was. She wanted to blame it on the drug but she wasn’t so sure.

“Get a grip.” She mumbled to herself as she paused for a deep breath. “Need to concentrate on the job at hand.” Kai Leng was here and he was hosting that auction over the extranet. She needed to get to that warehouse Teim mentioned and shut it down. She needed to get that device and kill him, and then she could forget about Liara and get on with her life. She certainly did not want to fail the Ambassador.

As Lissa came closer to the factory she moved to her stomach as she pulled her Black Widow from her back. She waited for it to extend before she crawled to the edge of the tall grass. He shoulder almost gave out twice. She should have taken the time to get it fixed properly. There was only so much that medigel could do.

There was a slight decline to the factory from the edge of the grass, and she had a clear view of the front door. Looking through the site she counted three guards outside of the door and at least two shadows inside. She scanned the rest of the front of the building and saw there were two more guards. Slowly she made her way around the building making sure she counted all of the guards, watching to see where the weakness was. She found it at a loading bay, two guards and no one else to see them or to see that they were gone. That was her way in.

She moved to a secure location and set up, adjusting her sights slightly. She was just over 200 meters away. It was an easy shot but still not one to be reckless with. She balanced herself comfortably on the ground and found the first guard. He was obviously talking to someone on his communicator, seeing as how he had two fingers pressed against his ear. She waited for him to finish his conversation, watching intently.

~No matter what happens, you mean everything to me Liara. ~ Lissa froze as the words simply invaded her mind. Creeping in like an unwelcomed guess and trashing it. She had never spoken those words before, ever, had she? Why did it seem familiar? Why did they crush her heart to think about them?

“What the hell is happening?” She shook her head. T’Soni was a Biotic, maybe she did something to her, something mixed with that damn drug. “She doesn’t mean anything to me.” She looked around to see if perhaps someone was there doing some weird voodoo to her. That had happened before with the Vorcha; they had some weird rituals with blood and dead animals and curses. Not that she believed in it but she had once killed one of their Shamans after he had splashed a bowl of blood on her and told her she was some evil incarnate.

He had gone on and on about her being possessed and evil and some blight on his people. She had been there to kill the leader of this clan so that another, that Cerberus controlled, would take his spot. She added the Shaman to the list for free. After all, as far as she was concerned, he had attacked her first.

As she looked back to the guards she noticed that the one that had been talking was now walking away, a cigarette hanging from his lips. She slid her hands over her Widow, her right hand slid around the grip holding it firmly, her finger not quiet on the trigger. Her left hand tucked under her right elbow in support, the butt of the rifle pressing against her bad shoulder. She lowered her head down slightly and looked into the scope. She moved it only slightly until the crosshair met the target, just above the nose cavity to where the pituitary gland was housed. She breathed in slowly calming her mind and her body and as she did she squeezed the trigger. The body fell to the ground unmoving. He shoulder cried out at her when the rifle bucked, but there was nothing she could do, she had a job to do.

She swung the Widow around only slightly and let it fall back down to the tripod and set up in mere second. The second target was not in her crosshairs and he still had no idea that his partner was dead. She aimed quickly and took the shot; he fell back, wedging himself between some boxes and the jeep. She reloaded the rifle and let it fold before placing it on her back.

Feeling better at getting something accomplished, Lissa cloaked herself and ran for the door, pausing to open it and closed it quietly behind her. She was alone in the hallway, slightly surprised there were no guards here. She leaned against the door for a few moments to reapply the medigel to her shoulder.

~Marriage, old age and a lot of little blue babies. ~ She closed her eyes as yet another group of words formed unwanted in her head. She had no idea where they were coming from but they were driving her insane. Not just the words but the feelings that surrounded them. She threw her head back against the wall, wincing slightly. Maybe she was going insane. That Asari had done something to her and she would have to find out what.

First, she had to find Kai Leng. She moved off down the hallway. Teim had given her the blueprints for the building; her omnitool gave her the rest of the information she needed to know. He was two levels down and in an auditorium of some sort. She would go to the floor above and hit him from the rafters. Lissa would only chance a face-to-face with him if she had to. He was the better fighter of the two of them at the best of times, and she was not feeling this was the best of times. She was tired and injured and hallucinating.

As she moved through the complex her mind was a blur, she almost fell down the stairs as she unexpectedly revisited the kiss with Liara. She stood as still as she could for a few seconds. “Jesus Lissa, get a grip.” She whispered to herself.   
She realised as she found a maintenance door to a cat walk that she was probably going to have to kill the Shadow Broker. First though, she had to kill Kai Leng.

Using her cloak again she moved quietly to middle of the walk but did not have a good view. Kai Leng was there, but because the building was old and parts had fallen down under neglect she had no clear view. She cursed and climbed down the catwalk to the top level of the seats.

“There you are.” She whispered under her breath. She pulled her Black Widow from her back and quickly brought it to her shoulder. She knelt down to use one of the chairs as cover and support.

He had two computers set up on a table and was talking to someone through a headset, most likely a potential buyer. She looked around for the Phantoms that the ex-Cerberus officer always had with him. She didn’t see them, which worried her. However with Kai Leng in the open not expecting her she had to take the shot.

She lowered her head to the scope and was about to fire when suddenly it went dark. She opened her eye as she instinctively moved back. The Phantom palm came up and fired. She grabbed her Widow and rolled but felt the beam graze her hip. “Shit.” She screamed out between clenched teeth, this day was certainly not getting better. She fell to the ground. She folded up the Black Widow as the Phantom came at her. Lissa cloaked and moved quickly.

She half-ran, half-fell down the stairs as she struggled to pull out her pistol. She hit the main floor as her cloak fell. A second Phantom kicked her in the face as she did. Lissa flipped backwards and hit the Phantom with her incinerate at almost point blank. The thing flailed backwards. She threw a sticky grenade on it and dove out of the way. She saw the Phantom crumble to the ground when the grenade went off.

As she stood back up and turned around, Kai Leng faced her, smiling. “I knew you would come.” He said.

“Do we really need to exchange a witty repartee?” Lissa said just wanting to get this whole thing over with. This day just was not getting any better.

“Well, I’m not going to give you the device.” He answered as his hand unconsciously went to a pouch tied to his belt.

“I didn’t think so.” She said. A second Phantom appeared but Kai Leng motioned her to stand down.

“I’ll take care of this.” He said. He looked back at Lissa, condescendingly. “You look pretty beat up already, you sure you’re up for this? We could wait a day or two.”

“Shut up.” Lissa said simply and charged at him. The first round of blows went to her, but it took almost everything she had. He ended it though, with a kick to her injured hip. She slid back and fell down. She flipped back up and sideways as he charged in for the finish and they exchanged another round which left Lissa back-peddling and blocking his attacks.

The third round she considered a draw as they both finally landed solid blows. She got him in the eye, cracking that stupid face shield he wore, and he got her in the jaw. They parted again.

“Just hand over the control device, Kai.” Lissa said.

“Now why would I do that? I’m winning!” The ex-Cerberus officer said. He was playing with her and she wanted to kill him for it. “I like this, can we call this foreplay?”

Lissa grunted and attacked again but she was tired now and he easily moved out of the way, punching her in the jaw again as he did. She dropped to a knee and grabbed her pistol, before spinning around and firing. At this point she was more concerned about getting the device and getting out than she was about winning this fight. He moved backwards and towards the seats, looking for cover. She took that opportunity to charge at him and tackle him to the ground. She began to knee him and hit him with her good arm while she lifted the pouch from him with the other and placed the device on her belt. Now she just needed to get away.

Kai Leng threw Lissa off and her pistol fell from her hand. She scrambled to her feet as Kai Leng circled her. She held her good arm up, ready to fight. He had not noticed that he had lost the device.

“Lissa, I have the power. The Ambassador can’t do anything without the device.” Kai Leng said as they circled each other. “Come with me and we can beat him together.”

Like that would ever happen, she thought to herself.

“I’d rather rot in Hell.” She hissed at him.

Kai Leng’s smile turned into a scowl. Gripping his sword tightly he launched himself at the woman. Lissa moved backwards ducking from his blade and using her arm plating to block. She smiled slightly as she moved backwards. She held up a sticky grenade and jammed it into his stomach, then rolled back to the door.

“Good night.” She said and ran as the Phantom suddenly spurred into motion. She left the room and jammed a lock on it before taking off down the hall. She was running out of energy fast, but she had to make it. She had the device, the Ambassador would be happy.

She cleared the building and headed towards the tall grass. She had just slipped into it when she realized she was being followed. She activated her cloak and hid behind a tree. She watched as two figures ran by after her, or where they thought she was going. A Drell and an Asari. ‘The’ Asari. She cursed, that was the last person she wanted to see. She waited a few seconds before leaving her hiding spot and running after them. They seemed to be heading to her ship.

“Lissa!” came a shout from behind her. She turned just as Kai Leng smashed into her and they rolled to the ground. “You didn’t think you’d get away from me that easily, did you?” He said with a smile as he pinned her to the ground. He jammed his hand into her injured shoulder, forcing his thumb to tear away the thin layer of medigel, reopening the wound. She screamed out.

The Phantom and two other soldiers were right behind him and she figured this was the end for her.

She punched at him weakly with her good hand but he knocked it down. “Go get the other two.” Kai Leng said, the three ran off following Liara and her friend. Kai Leng looked down at her.

“That was a nice try, but I believe you have something that belongs to me.” He removed the device from her belt. He then removed her Black Widow and threw it into the grass and did the same for her pistol. “Well, foreplay is over. Give the Ambassador my regards. We all know how much he loves failure.” He said and kissed her. She struggled to push him off but no longer had enough strength. He laughed and stood up, leaving her there.

“I don’t think we will meet again. If we do, I won’t be as nice.” He said, with little warning his arm went up, his sword in his hand. It came down into her shoulder and pinned her to the ground. He then turned and walked away.

Lissa closed her eyes as she fought to focus, reaching for the sword but barely reaching the handle. She looked to see Kai Leng disappear into the factory. She was running out of energy fast. She looked back to where the Phantom and guard had run after T’Soni and the Drell. She pulled at the sword, screaming loudly as it ripped out of her shoulder. It fell to the ground and she rolled to her stomach breathing heavily, trying to block out the pain.

“Get up.” She told herself. “Get off your ass.”

Slowly and painfully she pulled herself up. She looked from the factory to where the Shadow Broker had run off. She had to get that device back. She stumbled to her weapons and placed them on her back; she held Kai Leng’s sword in her hand, and looked back at the factory. The Ambassador would be unhappy if she did not come back with the device, but T’Soni and company had two mercenaries and a Phantom after them. She needed to get that device off Leng.

However, she looked back to the faint trail and simply stood for a long moment. Every logical thought in her head told her to go for the device. She surprised even herself when she started moving down the trail to find the group that was going to kill the Asari.

She thankfully did not have to go far before she heard the fighting. She cloaked and came behind the mercenaries. The Phantom had engaged Liara and the Drell.

“We got them now.” One of the mercenaries said. Lissa placed her pistol against his head and fired as she came out of cloak, a quick turn and a squeeze of the trigger took out the second mercenary. She moved forward, firing at the Phantom. It charged back, twisting and turning annoyingly like they did. She hated the Phantoms. When it stopped in front of her she jammed Kai Leng’s sword into its stomach. It bent over slightly then looked up to her. She placed her pistol against its head and fired feeling warm blood splatter over her face. The Phantom slid down to the ground.

As Liara approached her she brought the pistol back up.

“Cayle.” Liara said. Lissa looked at her for a long time; she was now struggling with consciousness as the adrenaline slowly seeped out of her system. She could barely hold the pistol up.

“I’ve had enough of this place.” She said as she fell to her knees, dropping the gun. Liara ran over to her and caught her before she could hit the ground.

“I got you.” She heard the Asari say before she completely lost consciousness.


	11. Chapter 11

The Phantom had come out of nowhere. She had been sure they were heading in the same direction as Cayle, but instead of catching up with her, this Cerberus monstrosity showed up and attacked Kolyat instantly. The young Drell had been forced into a defensive retreat. Liara moved to help him when she heard the commotion from behind her and two of the guard mercenaries were aiming at them. She quickly threw up a barrier which left her out of the fight, unable to aid Kolyat.

The Drell was a great information broker but he was not the fighter that his father was. She watched as the bullet flew off her barrier and, when she had a chance, she released it. She needed to take care of them so she could help Kolyat before it was too late.

She clenched a fist and felt the energy flow through it and was about to toss the pair as far as she could when she noticed a slight movement and a head exploded a spray of blood covering his counterpart. There was a shimmer and Cayle was behind them, her gun moving to the other mercenary and dispatching him as well. She then looked up to the Phantom.

Liara noticed that the woman was covered in blood, and she knew it was not just the mercenaries. She was barely standing on her own feet. She had seen Cayle in enough battles to know she was barely hanging on. The Asari thought for a moment of intercepting the Phantom as it moved towards whom she whole-heartedly believed was Shepard.

Cayle moved forward, firing her own weapon as the deadly Phantom charged at her. In the end it was Cayle that remained standing, as the Phantom slid off a sword that Shepard had been holding. Liara found her feet were not moving as fast as she wanted them. She was still slightly in shock that the Cerberus assassin, Cayle Shepard, had come for them.

She could only stare as the information sunk in. The woman was beaten and bleeding and barely able to stand, but she had come for them, for her. Tears crested her eyes and she fought them back as she moved; Shepard was falling.

“I’ve had enough of this place,” Cayle said as she fell to her knees, dropping the gun. Liara ran over to her and caught her before she could hit the ground.

“I got you.” Liara said as Shepard fell into her arms. Her eyes were closed but she was still breathing. “I got you my love, and I will never let you go this time,” she said looking up as Kolyat approached.

“Liara, we still don’t know if it’s her,” he cautioned. “I know you want it to be…”

“I know,” she said defiantly. “It’s her. She would have never come to our rescue if she was truly some unknown Cerberus agent. I don’t know what they did to her, but we can make this right.”

Kolyat moved to his knees beside them and began to remove the woman’s armour. “She is hurt very badly, Liara.” Kolyat looked up into her eyes. Liara barely heard him as she held the woman she loved in her arms. Her mind was racing in a million different directions and her emotions were overwhelming her.

“Liara,” Kolyat said more firmly. “We need to get her to a hospital. She is beyond what medigel can do.”

Liara looked at him, almost lost. Now that she had Shepard back what did she do with her? “We can’t lose her,” she said. “The Citadel?”

“Ok, but we need to look at some things here,” Kolyat said. He was not used to being the one in this position, not with Liara anyway. The Asari was always in so much control; she always knew what she was doing and always planned two steps ahead. “Firstly she is wanted by the Alliance for several war crimes, including the assassination of the Salarian Dalatrass. Secondly she is a Cerberus Assassin wanted by several other races. Thirdly, if it is Shepard and Cerberus did do something to her, they will most certainly want her back.”

“There is nowhere safe,” Liara whispered running her hands through Cayle’s short blonde hair.

“I have an idea. I will have Mouse go and get your ship. Then, I know you hate the place, but we will need to go to Cronos Station. It’s the only thing I can think of.”

“Miranda,” Liara whispered. She looked back down at Cayle. As much as Liara was not fond of Miranda, Shepard had always thought of her like a close sister, akin to a best friend. Liara could never figure out why Shepard was soft on the woman, and had always been a little bit jealous. Miranda was more like Shepard than anyone else she knew. She remembered just how happy Cayle had been when Miranda had finally decided to work with the Alliance. She had always believed the woman was capable of great things.

“She knows Shepard inside and out, she rebuilt her, and she will be able to fix her now.” He paused. “And we both know she would never tell anyone.”

It was true, they could trust Miranda. Miranda would fix Shepard and she would be able to figure out what Cerberus had done to her. Liara nodded slowly and Kolyat stood up and moved away. They were not far from Cayle’s ship with the working communicator.

She looked down at the sleeping form of the woman who had disappeared five years ago and she couldn’t help but think of that fateful day, of Shepard leaving her on the Normandy…

“No matter what happens, you mean everything to me Liara,” she said as she climbed back up the ramp and took the Asari’s hand in hers. She looked deeply into Liara’s eyes. “You always will,” she whispered as she cupped her check and kissed her briefly on the lips.

Liara could barely even form words. “Shepard, I... I am yours,” she managed but could not get anything else out.

Cayle released her hand and smiled. “I know.”

Liara leaned over and placed her lips over Cayle’s, not caring about the blood and dirt that covered them. “I am yours Shepard, always,” she whispered. “We’ll get through this, me and you. I love you.”

It had taken them the better part of two days to reach Cronos. It had been touch and go, with Shepard’s vitals all over the place. Liara had not left her side; she was terrified to move, having half convinced herself that if Shepard left her sight, she would lose her again. She had not slept and had barely eaten. To make matters even worse, she had still not been able to get her emotions under control. Twice now, she had almost called Tali and Garrus but resisted, afraid of her communications being tapped into.

Falere had pretty much left her alone but she knew the other Asari would soon start to bother her about taking care of herself. They knew each other too well. Liara would sit by Shepard forever and Falere would nag her forever.

Liara stood and moved over to where Shepard slept. She had cleaned her up as best she could and changed her into a hospital gown so that Miranda would be able to work on her as soon as they arrived. She ran her fingers through her hair and leaned over. She kissed her on the forehead careful not to jar her too much.

“We’re almost there, my love.” Liara whispered to her. “I’m going to eat and shower so Falere doesn’t disown me. I’ll be back as soon as possible. Do not go anywhere.”

As she stepped out of the room, Falere looked up from her post and smiled. “She won’t go anywhere.” Falere assured her. “I promise.”

Liara nodded and moved to her own room, peeling off her dirty clothes. She stepped into her hot shower and leaned against the wall.

Five years. It had been five years. She had always insisted Shepard was alive, but even she had her doubts at times. She knew they would be able to really confirm it at Cronos. Miranda would have Shepard’s DNA somewhere. Not that Liara needed that; she knew the woman in the other room was Cayle. She just figured everyone else would need the proof.

She was right next door, in the room right next to hers. Five years. The hot water began to mix with tears, as she felt the emotion that had been building up in the last few weeks burst out of her. She fell to her knees, with her arms wrapped around herself.

Five years of believing she was alive, of longing to see her again. It was as if her life had been on hold and now she had that chance to really live again, with Cayle. The emotion overwhelmed her as her forehead rested on the floor of the shower; she could no longer control them, fight them. It had been dark, but now the light was back. So many memories and dreams and desires put on hold. Every feeling she went through in the last five years flowed out with the tears.

Finally she took a deep breath and looked up to the shower head, enjoying the warmth of the water over her skin. Slowly, she stood as her cries steadily ebbed and only her slight headache remained. She was back, Shepard was back, and Liara would never let her go this time; not even if she had to limp behind her into some unknown beam.

She quickly cleaned herself off, then dried herself and got into some clean clothes. As she headed to the door, a slight panic built up inside of her. She knew her thoughts were foolish, but she could not help herself. She ran from her room into the med bay, stopping at the door. She looked from Shepard to Falere.

Falere smiled gently. “She is still here.”

Liara smiled back and felt a bit more at ease. Falere approached her and gave her a hug. “We are at the station and have been cleared to dock. I thought I would wait for you.”

Liara nodded and gave Falere a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for always being here for me,” she said. Falere smiled again and left the room. Liara moved back to Shepard’s side and took her hand between hers. “I’ll be back very shortly, love, I just have to go and make some arrangements.” Again she bent down and kissed Cayle, this time on the lips, before leaving the room. She wanted to talk to Miranda face-to-face. This was a huge bomb she was about to drop on the woman.

“You found Shepard, and she’s alive?” Miranda repeated slowly. She was leaning against her desk in her office in typical Miranda fashion with her arms crossed over her chest. Both she and Shepard had a tendency to do that. Shepard did it when she was being defensive; for Miranda it was a natural pose. “On your ship, but she’s been working for Cerberus. She was the one who assassinated the Dalatrass.”

It sounded odd as Miranda repeated everything that Liara had explained over the last ten minutes. She imagined it had sounded even worse for the ex-Cerberus officer since she was hearing it all for the first time. She watched as Miranda loaded Shepard’s DNA on a flash drive.

“I know it’s unbelievable, but it’s true. That is why we came here, we had nowhere else to go and we knew you would help her.” Liara explained as they turned and made their way to the Asari’s ship.

“If that is truly Shepard, I will be there for her. Have you done blood work?”

“I was afraid if I accessed her files it would raise flags. You would have more of a reason to go into her files than I would. You brought her back; you could just say you were going over your old research.”

“It’s pretty secure here; the Alliance has pretty much left me alone to control this station. It does have all the Lazarus files. There could be a million reasons why I would open them.” Miranda agreed.

They paused for a moment at the lift, and Liara looked around. “She is very badly injured. Can we trust your doctors?”

They continued to make their way to the ship. “Most of these Scientists and Doctors were on Gellix. They owe Shepard their lives. I will pick my best people.”

Liara nodded. As they got closer to the ship she felt that panic hit. What if she went back to the med bay and Shepard was gone? She took a small breath as they approached the door to the ship. Miranda looked at her but said nothing. “I just... I keep expecting her to disappear.”

Miranda simply nodded at the woman. It was not hard to understand. Liara had lost Shepard twice now; it was natural for her to be worried, maybe even paranoid. She, however, would keep an open mind until the test was over. Unlike Liara, Miranda believed Shepard had died on the Citadel; that the woman had sacrificed herself in some way to end the war. To her, it was the only way it could have happened. She had grieved and she had moved on.

Not that she didn’t miss the Spectre, nor did she think the galaxy was a better place without her. Shepard had been just about the only friend she ever had. Sure, she had acquaintances and work mates. She even had her share of bed mates from time to time, but she had never had someone like Shepard.

The woman had truly believed in her, even after Miranda had treated her horribly. At first she had been jealous. All that money and time poured into the Commander, into an unknown who easily could’ve backstabbed Cerberus the first chance she had. But over time, she realized that Shepard was more than a commander. She truly was a leader, a person one would follow into Hell and back. Shepard cared about those she served with, those she was close with. Hell, she had hardly even known her when Shepard promised they would save her sister. Miranda had not expected that. It was not something Cerberus would have done.

Then Shepard had shown her that she was more than what her father had built. She had been so hung up on the fact that she had been made to be perfect that she failed to see that she had surpassed what her father built. She had become her own person, and she wasn’t perfect, but she was what she had become. Shepard had believed in her and trusted her and it had never had anything to do with her genetics, they were never important. Not like they were to the Illusive Man.   
Shepard had shown her a better way and she had taken it. It had been rough at first but once she had found her step, it had been more than worth it.

She really had no idea where she would be now had she stayed with Cerberus. She knew she would never have helped the allied forces defeat the Reapers. She would never have been offered this position on Cronos nor had trust in her like the Alliance showed. She might not have all the resources she had with Cerberus, but with the Alliance she did not have to constantly watch her back. The people were here to help her, not wait for her to fail.

She owed all that to Cayle Shepard and if this woman was her, she would do everything in her power to bring her back.

“You think Cerberus has done something to her mind? That she thinks she is this assassin?” Miranda asked outside of the med bay. Liara nodded. “When we rebuilt Shepard, I could have done that. It was an option as well as putting a safety control chip in her head. Whoever did this to her must have had my research. There were problems with it though.” She said, moving into the sick bay. She stopped in her tracks and looked at the woman in the bed. She was pale and damp with sweat.

“How long has she been like this?” Miranda asked as she moved over and began performing several checks.

“Two days. We were on Horizon.” Liara said. 

“You should have come here sooner. We need to get her into our clinic immediately.” Miranda looked at her, comparing her quickly to her memory of Shepard. Give her black hair and those steely blue eyes and yes, it would look like her. She took a quick DNA test and let it compare to the sample she had brought while she continued her check on the woman before her. “Her blood pressure is very low, she’s in hypovolemic shock.”

“I know, we’ve had her on an IV for fluids but we don’t have anything for the required transfusion. I am not that type of a Doctor,” Liara defended. “I stabilized her the best I could, but medigel can only do so much.”

“You did well.” Miranda reassured her, only looking up for a second. That was a lesson she had learned from Shepard. Once upon a time, Miranda would have berated her shortcomings. “I’ll do the rest.” The DNA test chimed as Miranda swung to the top of the bed. She covered the woman’s head so no one would be able to see her. Before she unlocked the brakes to the bed, she picked up the DNA tester. Her eyes widened.

“It’s her,” she whispered. “It’s really her.” She spurred into action and hit her communicator. “Bren, I’m going to need you and Dr. Fraser to meet me with a trusted team in Medical Room one. We have a thirty-six-year-old female, five-foot-six, roughly one hundred and forty pounds, in hypovolemic shock. We have multiple traumas, across the shoulder and hip area.” Miranda moved to the top of the bed and began to push. “We’ll take care of her, Liara, I promise.”

“I can’t…” she paused. Of course she couldn’t go with Shepard to the operating room, but she was certainly going to follow them there. “I will go as far as I can.” She looked at Miranda. “I’m not getting left behind again.”


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Liara sat down the hall from the room they had wheeled Shepard into. She had watched intently from a window for the first hour, but eventually began to fight sleep. It had been days, after all, since she had last closed her eyes. She didn’t think she would ever feel tired, especially after Miranda had made it official that the blonde assassin was indeed Shepard; Liara had not needed a test to know that.

As she drifted in and out of reality, she couldn’t help but think of all the things she had Shepard had talked about; all the plans they had made over their time together. They had both talked about children, or lots of little blue babies as Shepard put it. Liara was not really old enough in Asari terms to have children, not that she could not, it was just that most tended to wait until they were older. The problem was, Shepard’s life span could not wait for the Asari Matron years and Liara was not willing to pass up the opportunity.

Her sleep was light and she woke at every sound. They had Shepard now and she was being worked on by the best, but Liara could not help but feel their safety was fragile. Cerberus was always an unknown, especially now when no one knew who was heading it up and what their capabilities were. They had been operating behind an impenetrable curtain which was only now starting to open.

The Alliance had wiped out a few labs and military basis over the last five years. Liara could only wonder if that was Cerberus allowing the Alliance to clean house. They had all seemed like left over forces from the Illusive Man. The military bases just housed a few troop and husks.

Liara shivered at the thought. The Alliance had the husks in safe keeping at several facilities; some of them were even here, on Cronos. No one quite knew what to do with them. They had been human once, could they be again? Would they want to be? It was a horrible fate. They had top scientists from every race working on it. Even Miranda had her hand in trying to save them. It had been five years since the war, though, and no cure had been found. The Asari could only wonder what would become of them if no cure was ever found.

Her eyes closed slightly and when they next opened Shepard was looking down at her, smiling. “You are beautiful when you sleep.” She said. Liara could not help but smile back. She let Cayle take her hand and help her to her feet. They looked into each other’s eyes for a long moment. Miranda had managed to get the Spectre's blue steely eyes back but her hair was still short and blonde.

“I never believed you were dead,” Liara whispered. “No one would listen to me.”

“Doesn’t matter Blue, I’m here now.” Shepard ran her fingers along Liara’s cheek to her crest and down to her neck, moving much closer as she did. Her other hand snaked around the Asari’s waist and pulled so that they were firmly locked. Cayle tilted her head down kissed her, her soft lips almost melding into Liara’s.

Liara felt her mind move in a million different directions. It was like an explosion of emotions. She was coming alive again after being dead for five years. She could not even try to hold back the little moan that escaped her lips into Shepard’s as her own arms wrapped around her lover and held her tightly, afraid to let go.

“I love you, Cayle.” Liara whispered.

Shepard did not respond, her lips pushing harder to the point where they began to hurt. Liara opened her eyes and they widened as Shepard changed. Her hair began to fall out beneath the Asari’s hands and her skin began to turn blue. Her eyes widened and the blue turned to white as Cayle turned into a husk before her eyes.

Liara wanted to scream but Shepard’s mouth still pressed against her own, open, and the scream of the Banshee filled her ears.

“No!” She shouted as her head fell out of the hand it had been leaning on and she nearly fell out of her chair. The hallway was empty and quiet, save for the beating of her heart and deepness of her breath.

“Goddess,” she whispered. It had only been a dream. She sat up and looked up and down the hall before finally standing. With her arms crossed over her chest she moved back to the window. Miranda was sitting, doing something on the computer while two other masked Doctors worked on Cayle.

She lay naked on the operating table and Liara spotted several scars already covering her body. Shepard had never had scars. Miranda and Dr. Chakwas had healed all of them. This must have been from the explosion of the Catalyst. Whatever doctors had worked on her then had not had Miranda’s expertise.

It did not matter though, she could have been so marred that no one would recognize her and Liara would still love her. It was what beat beneath the skin and bones that Liara had fallen in love with. Shepard’s laugh, her unyielding sense of honour and duty, her loyalty, they were all a part of the woman she loved.

She would never deny the physical attraction of Cayle Shepard. The woman was beautiful with thick black hair. Hair was something Liara had never thought of before meeting the Spectre. She had been in wonder the first time she had felt Cayle’s hair, how soft it was and how her fingers felt when they slid through it, like sliding over silk. Then there were Cayle’s eyes, it was perhaps those eyes that had first roped her in. Liara had never seen eyes so intense and telling at the same time. There had been many times she had lost herself in those blue orbs. Even after that, there was her smile, that lopsided grin she seemed to hold for Liara in special times. It always made her melt when Shepard grinned at her.

She leaned her forehead against the glass as she watched the doctors work. It was so painful to just stand here while the woman she loved was just beyond the window fighting for her life.

Liara could not help but wonder who would come out of the surgery. Cayle Shepard or the blonde assassin, and if it was the latter what would she do, could they turn her back to the woman she loved? Or would she - could she - give her to the Alliance? She turned away and began to pace, wringing her hands together. Could a meld bring back her memory or would that even be a good idea? She must have had some memory, Cayle came to her rescue, and the blonde assassin would never have done that.

“I brought you some food,” Falere appeared from an adjoining hallway with a tray. “The food here is not really the best, but you need to eat.”

Liara looked at the tray and scratched her forehead. It was human food, not that she didn’t like human food, but they liked to put a lot of fat and preservative in everything they ate. Liara was not a fan, except that cotton candy stuff from thefair. She made a face and looked back at Falere as she picked up the apple and the small bowl of fruits.

“Humans have weird taste,” Liara said and smiled. Falere smiled back instantly.

“You need to do that more often,” the older Asari said gently. Liara looked at her, lost. “Smile, you have a beautiful smile.”

“I am happy,” Liara looked to the operating room door, “and terrified all at the same time. What if she never remembers who she is, or who I am, or that she loves me, or that she hates Cerberus?”

Falere laughed slightly. “Well, let’s go one step at a time. First she needs to get through the surgery.”

“If anything, that’s the least I am concerned about. Honestly, I have absolute faith Miranda will save her. She brought her back from dead after all.”

“What about Kai Leng, and the device?” Falere asked. Liara looked to her.

“I do not know if I really care about that at this point,” Liara answered honestly. Falere finally rested the tray on a table and took the bottle of water, handing it to Liara.

“So you're willing to trust the Alliance with the most important device in the Galaxy right now, you do remember Ashley is looking for it as well? Not to mention that it is presently in Kai Leng’s slimy hands.”

Liara looked to her for a long moment. She really did care what happened, but unfortunately that was highly overshadowed by Shepard returning to her. She wanted to wait and talk to Cayle and maybe even go after the device together. “I can’t just leave her, I just found her.”

“Do you think Shepard would give up?” Falere hated to pull this card, “or that she would want you to let this wait when the fate of who knows what hangs in the balance.”

No, Shepard would not give up, she never gave up. No matter what, Shepard always did what she needed in order to get the job done. She even ran into a beam that she knew would probably lead to her death. She went on a suicide mission to the other side of the Mass Relay knowing she might not ever come back. She went after Saren in the Citadel knowing it was falling apart around her. Liara knew exactly what Shepard would tell her if she was here.

“I’m lying in a bed not even truly aware of who I am. I’m going to be here for a bit and we don’t need you here waiting and doing nothing when you could be saving the galaxy," Liara could hear Shepard’s voice as she thought those words.   
“And with me here, Cerberus is out of the equation.”

Liara truly believed what her imaginary Shepard was saying to her, she just wanted to shut her out. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave, not until I can talk to her.”

“That might not be for a while,” Miranda said, moving away from the door of the operating room. She stood between Liara and Falere. “She will be physically fine. I have worked with far less before. I have some issues with whoever rescued her from the Citadel and healed her but she will be fine.“

Liara smiled. “Will I be able to see her?”

“It’s going to take the better part of a week. I am going to need to replace the hip, how she managed to even move I don’t know,” Miranda ran her hand through her hair. “She has a lot of old scars I want to go over as well.”

“Will she wake up?”

“I don’t think so, nor am I going to push for waking her up. Shes believes she is some Cerberus assassin and I am on the top of the Wanted List in that organization. I think I will just keep her sleeping until we can deal with the whole affair of the mind.”

“Do you think we’ll get her back?” Liara asked, hopeful. “She did come to our rescue, which must mean whatever Cerberus did is breaking down.”

“I won’t know until we wake her up,” Miranda said. “Whatever they did was not internal, nothing has been added to the brain. If I had to guess I would say hypnotism. I’ve seen Cerberus do it before, they use it on their sleeper agents and they are very good at it.”

“Then we can go and deal with Kai Leng,” Falere said. “And let Miranda do her job.”

“Kai Leng?” Miranda looked at the other Asari. “That bastard just refuses to die, what is he doing now?”

“Cerberus has Harbinger,” Liara announced. Miranda’s eyes widened only slightly. “But Kai Leng has something that they need for their research and since they tried to kill him, he wants to use it against them.”

“It’s too bad I am needed here, that is a rematch I would love to visit,” Miranda remembered the last time they met very well. She had survived, but the affair had been cut short. She had not left it unscathed.

Liara looked back at the door then at Falere. “Do we even have anything to go on?”

“Kolyat and Mouse tracked him back to Earth, but they are not sure where.”

Liara looked to Miranda, “Can I say goodbye?”

Miranda nodded. “I can give you two minutes.” 

Liara nodded and looked at Falere before heading into the operating room. She bit back a trembling lip as she looked at the tubes and needles that were stuck into all sorts of places. Again she eyed the scars on her body as she moved to her bedside. Her eyes watered but she didn’t cry, not in front of Cayle. The woman needed strength.

She reached out slowly and ran two fingers over the large scar on Shepard’s neck. How many times did this woman need to die to save the galaxy, how much more did she have to give before there was nothing left?

She was a warrior in the truest sense, always going into battle without even looking back. If she felt fear it was never for herself. She always worried about her crew and about their safety. For Cayle it was always about helping others. Liara could only hope when this was over that it would end and Shepard could finally have that life of peace; they could finally have that life they always talked about.

“Well,” she said and took Cayle’s hand gently in hers. “Here I finally have you back and I really don’t know what to say.” She reached out and caressed her lover’s cheek. “I always left the epic motivational speeches for you. I know you don’t remember who you are, that Cerberus has messed around in your head, but I also know deep down you know you love me and that I love you. When you came after us, to rescue us I knew it.”

“You’re safe now. Miranda is here and she will fix you up, she’s pretty good at that. I have to go and save the galaxy in my own little way because I know that is what you would want me to do. You started the destruction of the Reapers and I want to make sure it is finished.” She paused and looked up at the ceiling for a few seconds trying to stop the tears from flowing. “When I get back we will get you back to normal somehow. I will never give up on you Shepard, never. You just fight and get better.” She bent over and kissed the sleeping woman on the forehead before releasing her hand. She silently kicked herself as she headed out the door. It was certainly not the romantic speech she had wanted to give, but she had said what she needed.

She looked at Falere and Miranda in the hallway. “To Earth,” Liara said regretting it instantly. Was it wrong to want to be selfish and stay with Cayle? Probably but she couldn’t help it.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

No one really ever cared for the state of the slums in Toronto. Seeing small children wandering about was simply a part of life. If they were lucky they would get picked up and placed in an orphanage. Half the building had been condemned for more years than anyone could remember and police refused to come anywhere near the area.

This had led to the power of the gangs. People needed someone to turn to and for small favours and future consideration the gangs would or would not help you. This had also led to war, at least, in the Toronto slums it did. At one point it had been controlled by one large gang, the Bloods. They had ruled the streets through death and violence. Anyone who dared opposed them were always made an example of. They favoured using a person’s head as a deterrent and hung them around their headquarters as a reminder of the price of defiance.

Lissa had only been a baby when they had split into two factions. The Bloods and The Mongols, the latter being some sort of homage to a long dead gang from hundreds of years prior. Since the split the slums became nothing better than a war zone, especially at night.

Lissa’s mother had not been a part of the gangs; at least that was what she had told herself. There had never been anyone to tell her differently. She had never met her father. She remembered he mother as a beautiful woman, with blue eyes and soft hands. They lived in an apartment building and rarely ventured out. She would sing and dance and play hand games with Lissa all the time. On occasion Lissa still remembered the little verses they would sing. "Cece My Playmate" was her favorite. She remembered her mother combing her hair, braiding it and teaching her how to brush her teeth.

Lissa loved her mother, but unfortunately her strongest memory was sitting in her blood holding her hand, screaming for her to wake up. To this day she had no idea why her mother was killed or who killed her. She just remembered sitting by her mother’s side for days until one of the neighbours finally came to check up on them. From there she had lived in nine foster homes before joining the Bloods.

That was when Cerberus took notice of her. She had a knack for being at the right place at the right time. She could shoot more efficiently than anyone in the gang and her infiltration ability was honed well beyond her years.

She had not really chosen the path she had taken. She had to specialize in something that would be useful. She knew that, if she didn’t excel in something then the alternative was to be wired on drugs in a whorehouse. Lissa had her fling with drugs, for about six month, lived life in a haze and what happened in that six month, she still could not remember. Not that she wanted to anyway.

She had become well respected in the Blood Clan by the time she was sixteen. They relied heavily on her for eliminating targets. She had never failed. They paid her well and gave her the best equipment. They had even forked out enough money for an Omnitool. She always did what they asked quietly and with no complaint. She had been saving her money so she could someday leave the slums.

It turned out she had not needed to. Cerberus had hired her just before her seventeenth birthday and trained her further. The Ambassador had personally over seen her career. When they first met after her training, he had been her handler. She had gone on hundreds of missions with him. He was her partner and biggest supporter.

For the longest time she had a crush on him. He was not the biggest man she had ever met but he was ruggedly handsome. He had a full head of thick brown hair, soft grey eyes and a voice that could sooth the wildest person. They worked out together all the time and he was in very good shape. He was beyond charismatic. He always understood what she was going through and was a shoulder to lean on in times of need. Working as closely as they did it was only a matter of time before they took a chance on a relationship.

The chance had not lasted longer than two months. It didn’t take long to realize they were only were good friends. Shortly after that he had gotten promoted and started to move up the political ranks of Cerberus. He took her with her but over time she became no more than a subordinate. He had changed so much, especially since the fall of Cronos.

Lissa knew the trail her life took; she had lived it, hadn’t she? She didn’t understand the strange images flashing through her head now and why did it seem like it was breaking down. Worst of all, why was this Asari infiltrating her dreams at an alarming rate. It wasn’t that she hated Asari; quite opposite she always found them quite exotic and attractive. Liara T’Soni had always been on the top Cerberus’ wanted list. The Illusive Man had once tried to take her mantle and she knew the Ambassador wanted it as well. The Shadow Broker was perhaps the only person in the world who controlled more power than Cerberus and they simply could not stand for that.

It would only be a matter of time before the Ambassador went after the Shadow Broker. Once they got the device back from Kai Leng and he used it for whatever it was it was used for, the Asari would be next. Lissa was rarely allowed in on the big picture. She was more than happy finishing the jobs she was given. Or she had been anyway, until she had actually run into Liara T’Soni.

Now Liara invaded her dreams and Lissa was not sure she disliked it. It was erotic and comforting, and the Asari was always gentle and kind, something Lissa was not used to. Not that she needed it, she was a survivor; gentle and kind were two words not generally found in the definition of survivor. Until now she had never felt the need to be anything more than that.

She knew she was dreaming when she felt the Asari’s hand on her stomach, her fingers softly caressing and moving slowly, tantalizingly, towards her breast. Liara’s lips were on her neck, just behind her ear and the sensation was sending tremors through her entire body. She felt a soft tongue around her lobe and she moaned before she could stop. Every fibre in her body told her this was so right. It was the feeling of pure love that scared her. She loved this woman deeply but she didn’t know why. She didn’t know her but she wanted her, more than anything.

“I am yours,” the Shadow Broker whispered softly into her ear before kissing her on the lips. Lissa felt her own hands slide over the Asari’s slightly textured skin, one hand resting on her buttock as her other hand moved to the sensitive crest folded over her head, her fingers caressing and exploring. She could not help but smile as Liara gasped.

“I know,” Lissa answered the woman as they kissed. She felt Liara’s hand moved lower down her stomach and lifted her hips. She almost didn’t hear the brash clanging in the background. It continued to get louder as Liara slowly disappeared.

She wasn’t content anymore either; pain shot through her entire body. She groaned and jerked into a sitting position, only to fall back down in even more pain. She screamed out.

“Commander Shepard, you’re not ready to get up,” she knew that voice. Forcing her eyes to open, she looked about the room. She recognized the Doctor in the room but struggled with the name. Bren something, she was not sure. She really had no idea what she was saying.

The brash clanging continued and Lissa started to choke, something was in her mouth. She reached for it despite the hands that were now trying to grab her. She coughed and sputtered but reached it before she could be stopped and pulled it out.

“What the hell?” Came another familiar voice; she could not see who it belong to. Too many people were trying to hold her down. She was coughing now.

“She woke up before we had a chance to extract the tube,” Bren called out as she put all of her weight on Lissa’s left arm. Someone else had her right arm, which was holding the tube that had been in her throat. It was then she spotted the Alliance markings on their gowns.

“Shepard, you need to stop before you hurt yourself even more,” a woman with dark hair finally came into view. Miranda Lawson looked down at her, eyes filled with concern. Miranda Lawson was wanted by Cerberus, preferably dead. That meant she was on Cronos Station. Lissa hated Cronos station; she had almost died here five years ago. The assassin pulled hard on her right hand and screamed out in pain. She had forgotten she had been injured. She used her left hand to yank the IV out.

“She’s going to hurt herself,” Bren said looking to Miranda. The man holding her left hand spoke up.

“She’s going to hurt us; that’s what I’m worried about. She is strong; she shouldn’t be able to put up a fight like this.”

“I’ve called for security, but we are under attack, we’re not going to get anyone,” Miranda stated with a scowl.

“You…” Lissa finally managed to call out. She grabbed the man by the neck and threw him into the woman she knew as Bren. The bed toppled and she landed on the floor. She realized she was naked. Before the man could get up she kicked him in the face and he slide back to the ground. She looked up at Miranda.

~And Miranda, be careful. ~ she heard herself say, like a dream playing in her head.

~I promise. ~ 

Lissa froze for a second. She didn’t hate this woman; in fact there was something familiar about her. She shook it off and charged at her, forcing her to the ground and wrapping her hands around the woman's throat.

“Shepard,” Miranda croaked. It wouldn’t even take Lissa a second to twist the woman’s neck and end it all. Her hands shook but she found she could not bring herself to do it. Even worse, her hands loosened on the traitor’s neck. She should have killed her already but she couldn’t.

“Stop calling me that,” Lissa hissed at her. She noticed the woman was holding up her hand, stopping someone behind her. She did not acknowledge it though. She clenched her teeth and struggled, she was a traitor she needed to die; didn’t she?

“That is who you are,” Miranda said. “Hero of the Blitz, Saviour of the Citadel, and...” Miranda paused, “...my best friend.”

Lissa scowled but her words seemed to strike a chord deep within in her. Images flowed through her head. She had worked with this traitor, been friends, she could see unclear images and even more unclear feelings.

“Grrraghh,” Lissa screamed and pushed herself off the woman, spinning around and kicking out at the soldier that had been behind her. She hit his hands, causing the gun to fire into the air and she threw her body into him. It was hard, she was still in a lot of pain, but she had been healed a bit.

They fought for the gun for only a few seconds as Lissa landed several knees into his body. She followed it with a precise head-butt and grabbed the weapon out of his hands as he fell; she pointed it at him.

“Shepard!” Miranda called out; Lissa paused and scowled. Instead of shooting him she ran for the door, and paused outside.

“Shit.” She said as she spotted her reflection in the glass of a fire hose. She moved back into the ICU room and looked about as everyone stared at her. She looked at Miranda for a second before grabbing a hospital gown and leaving again. She put it on as she ran; it didn’t cover her completely, but it didn’t leave her open either. The clanging sound was getting annoying but she knew that meant someone had come to rescue her. She just needed to find them.

She moved through the station heading for a docking bay, the whole time praying someone didn’t fire a ship in her direction this time. Five years ago that was what had almost killed her.

Five years ago the Illusive Man had been indoctrinated. He had bastardized everything Cerberus had stood for and funneled most of their money to his projects. Out of that he had built Sanctuary. It had explained to the Cerberus Council that the Illusive Man would be trying to save those that had been turned into husk. They also wanted to use the technology that would be developed to enhance the performance of soldiers. The husks were stronger than the normal humans and never seemed to tire. Cerberus wanted to find a way to use that to advance their troops.

What the Illusive Man had done was unthinkable. Not only was it even morally beyond the bounds of Cerberus, it was done behind their back and it had wiped out thousands of the people they had been fighting to improve. Cerberus had never stood for the death and destruction of humans at that rate and that was what the Illusive Man had done. Most of the time they relied on volunteers.

She had been sent to kill him and take over his operation until the Ambassador could figure out a way to use this to his advantage. Unfortunately, the Alliance struck shortly after she had arrived. Not that it mattered; the Illusive Man had already vacated the station. She was on her way back to her ship when the wall in front of her blew open, she didn’t remember much after that.

Funny enough she just remembered waking up in a hospital room with tubes sticking out all over her. Something like what just happened.

She was moving slowly, but it hurt to walk. Her hand went down to her right hip, and as she pulled the gown away she noticed the large fresh scar. The Phantom had gotten her with a blast in the hip. It had been repaired, but it was still hurting. Her shoulder did not feel much better. She should be sleeping this off but she was damned if she was going to stay in this place.

She moved into the shuttle bay where the fighting seemed the heaviest. She noticed several Cerberus soldiers bunkered down behind their ship and she blinked. For a second she saw an Alliance shuttle there with herself behind it, fighting against Cerberus.

“Shepard, you shouldn’t be here,” a black soldier came towards her, concern on his face. Jacob Taylor; he was wanted as well. She pointed the assault rifle towards him.

“Call off your troops, Taylor,” she said. “Tell them to get out of the docking bay. When it is clear, I will be going with my rescuers and I will let you go.”

“What…”

“Do it, Jacob,” came Miranda’s voice. “Let her go.”

Jacob looked from Lissa to the ceiling, then back to Lissa. She raised her rifle a little more. 

“This is Taylor to Beta squad; retreat from the docking bay. I repeat, retreat from the docking bay.” He said into his omnitool. Lissa motioned for him to move aside. He reluctantly did so and she moved around him. She moved towards the dock as two Cerberus soldiers came into view.

“Do not follow us.” She said even though she knew they probably would. She backed up until she was in the middle of them.

“It’s ok, Ma’am, we got you.” One of them said. Lissa nodded and allowed him to help her stand. They moved backwards back to their ship.

She wanted to smile, to feel relieved that the Ambassador had sent a rescue. He would be cross that she failed in her mission, but he also knew that she would make it up to him. The soldier loaded her into the small ship and it lifted off the docks. She looked back as it left the area and could not help but think she did not belong here.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The stench of human depravity was strong. It was something Liara was not used to. Even the poor and unfortunate Asari in Thessia were treated with some sort of respect. They gave their needy food and clothing, and the necessities to survive. They even had education centers so that the children may have a chance to make something of themselves. Of course that was before the war. Now the children that were less fortunate had been placed in homes. It still offered them food and education, but it came with a price. When they were old enough, they would have to assist in the rebuilding efforts or join the Asari commandos.

In this same vein those families that had lost everything in the war were given a home but also had to assist in the rebuilding of Thessia. Buildings were replaced and wounds were healed and within twenty years, they predicted Thessia would be back to normal.

Earth was not the same. It was bad before the war and became even worse after it. It was sad because most parts of the Human home world were beautiful, and they had a lot of open land and waterfalls and their conflicting seasons were marvellous. The biggest scars were the slums attached to most of the larger metropolitan areas. The rest of society tried to ignore them, aid was sparse, and the gangs took most of it. They gave it out as they saw fit, which left a lot of people to fend for themselves. The slums had the highest rates of birth as well as the highest rates of death.

Liara looked down at her foot as it pushed forward over the cracked and broken road beneath it. It was a good symbolization of the cracked and broken area she was about to enter. Shepard had been born here. She had never known her father and her mother had been killed when she was five. She had seen that when they had melded.

It was not a memory that Liara had ever been able to truly cope with, nor had she even been able to get Cayle to talk about it. On occasion she had nightmares about the young Shepard, covered in her mother’s blood, holding her hand. The Human had never screamed or cried out; she had simply held her mother’s hand, and kept asking her mama to wake up.

Cayle refused to talk about it. Liara had her memories but it was something Shepard had never come to terms with; she had never tried. Liara had never really had time to really talk to Shepard about her past. They never really had enough time together.

Now hopefully they would have that time to talk, to go over everything in both of their lives. They could have their own little blue children and maybe that would help Cayle come to terms with a past she wanted to forget.

She was confident that they would be able to help Shepard get her memories back. If they could not do it the normal way Liara could embrace her and meld again. Whatever walls Cerberus had built were already breaking down. She had felt that when they kissed.

“Humans stink,” Javik said as he walked beside Liara. He had met her as soon as she landed and advised her that there was a contact in the Toronto slums that had been dealing with Kai Leng. The Bloods were the ruling gang in the slums but there were still territory wars with the Mongols. Since the fall of Cerberus, the Bloods had lost quite a bit of territory but still held power. Cerberus had always supported the gang in return for test subjects and information. Now they were struggling, still the top dog in the area, but without constant supplies they had to rely on themselves for resources.

Liara smiled thinly at Javik. The Prothean always spoke what was on his mind and he was biased in every way. Not that she could blame him. He had seen the downfall of his people but not been allowed to participate in it. Instead he had been preserved, with an army for future domination. His army had not made it and Javik was alone.

When Liara was a child she used to dream about the Protheans. She had dedicated her entire life to studying them and learning all she could. She was the leading expert on the long-dead race. At least, she was until Javik arrived. He had immediately disproved everything she had believed in. She had always had this wonderfully naïve vision of them. She had never imagined that they assimilated races, leaving those that refused to join them to die. At first she had blamed Javik for everything that was wrong with the Protheans. She had expected so much from him when he woke and had been bitterly disappointed.

It had had taken her a long time to forgive him, even though there was nothing to forgive. He was simply a warrior, much like Shepard. Javik, unlike Shepard, was not open minded. It wasn’t his fault, though, that was just the way his culture was. Even he would admit that Shepard defeated the Reapers because the races learned to work together and bring their individual characteristics to the war. This did not allow the Reapers to learn their attack strategies; they had not been able to focus on the individuals that made up the whole.

Javik had not fared well after the war was over. He had taken the death of the Commander harder than Liara had expected. He told her once that he had honestly believed that she would make it out alive. With Shepard, one always expected the impossible to be possible. He had started talking about death and joining his people. Liara had offered him a better choice and he had started to work for her.

He was not the most subtle information gatherer. Most people knew who he was and who he worked for. Instead, Liara used him as an enforcer. He ended up being very talented at extracting information from those that did not wish to part with it. He was also good at keeping some of her more elusive contacts in line. No one wanted a visit from the Prothean.

“Did you ever tell Shepard this?” Liara said with a slight smile. She would have taken offence to the words had she not already found the woman she loved.

“Shepard did not smell, not like this,” he said simply, not looking to her. She had told him about Cayle and she wasn’t sure but she could have sworn that Prothean had grinned ever so slightly at the news.

Shepard always had a slight strawberry scent. She was not vain; in fact she wore very little makeup, and none when she was working, but she always smelled of strawberries. She also showered a lot, sometimes three times a day. Liara knew this was mostly psychological and linked to her youth. Liara never questioned this quirk as she sometimes she liked to join the beautiful Human in the shower.

“This is where Shepard grew up, believe it or not,” Liara said and looked around. 

“I can see why she left,” Javik looked at her. “This is a pathetic waste of life. The Humans have no idea of how to take care of their own. This should be a work camp and the people used to do useful things. Like what the Asari have done on Thessia.”

“Not everyone is perfect Javik. Thessia recovered fast but we forced labour on our people, paying them with food and little else.”

“You give them education and teach them a purpose,” Javik defended.

“But we took away their indivuality. We took away their choice and freedom. They can either be a builder or a commando. At least here people can be what they want to be.”

“Here people can be what the gangs want them to be or they can be dead. I do not see that as being better,” Javik looked to her. “I am reminded once again at how different you and I are.”

Liara smiled. “That is my point.”

Javik let out a grunt as they continued on. “We are being watched.”

Once upon a time these ‘slums’ were only populated with Humans. Since the war there had been smatterings of Turians and Krogans that had not returned to their worlds, on occasion one would even find an Asari. Most of those that had stayed behind were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and the Human government had no way of helping them. They could barely help their own soldiers.

Liara and Javik still stood out, the Prothean more so than the Asari. “Most of these people have never seen the likes of you before,” Liara pointed out.

“Mouse’s contact better have good information because I do not know if I will be able to wash this stench out of my armour.”

“It was my contact that placed Kai Leng heading to Earth,” this was more a caution than information. Javik was far too opinionated on everything. “We are almost there, this is Bellwood’s park and the rec center should be on its east side.”

“I see it.” Javik said looking at the small gray building. As they moved towards it Liara noticed a small group of children playing in a shallow pool, splashing water on each other. She could not help but smile as she heard their laughter and squeals of delight. It was the first she had heard since they had entered this area.

Mouse had told her the old community centre was merely a shelter for women and children. It was in Mongol territory, but the gang left it alone for the most part. They used it for recruitment, when the children turned sixteen the gang would then begin to entice them to join their fold. Because the centre was a good source of recruitment, it was protected.

That didn’t mean that there was no fear. Liara did not even need Javik’s sensory abilities to feel the fear. They were strangers and did not belong. These people knew that. They stopped when they reached the front of the building and looked around. The contact was supposed to meet them here, it should have been easy to spot him. The only male humans were children. He should have stuck out. Javik looked to his omnitool.

“He is late.”

“We are late.” Liara pointed out. Before she could say more someone cleared their throat from behind them. The pair turned.

“Can I help you?” The man asked. He was bigger than Liara had expected, almost as tall as Javik and built like James. His skin was pale and red rimmed glassed covered his eyes. He wore a jacket made of denim with a black shirt underneath and black pants that flipped down over the tongue of his shoes and then below the back of his heel. Liara looked at the torn and ripped cloth that was tucked slightly under his foot then back up to him. She wasn’t sure if she liked this man yet.

“Yes, I am looking for Ringo.” She said. The man nodded and motioned for them to move inside the complex. They followed him.

“Our residents are to remain outside during the day. That gives us time to clean and prepare dinner for them.” Ringo said, admitting that they were basically alone. Liara had to admit, the place was cleaner than she expected. “We’re one of the better homes. There is a long waiting list for people who want to come here.”

“I can see that.” Liara said as Javik remained silent. She had not brought him with her to start beating a confession out the man. She needed him in case the man decided not to give her the information; well, that and she needed someone to watch her back.

“Where were you planning on opening the second shelter?” Liara asked. That had been the cost of the information. It was a price Liara had no problem paying. It got her the information she wanted and helped out those that needed it at the same time.

“There is a church on the other side of the park that has been abandoned; it has an old community hall attached to it as well. We would be purchasing that and then cleaning it out. We would be able to bring in at least fifty families." The man said. "And as promised, we would name it after Shepard.”

Liara nodded. “And your contact?”

“He told me that there was an auction already but that when most people had been out bidden, the remainders were to meet and it would continue there.” The man said.

Liara hated third party information, but she could understand why the Mongol would not want to be seen with them. “He said it was deep in Bloods territory, some old apartment building on Spadina,” he handed them an envelope. “These are the passwords and the credit chit he used.”

“Very good, consider the church yours. I will purchase it and have a representative come to you as soon as it is done. Thank you,” she bowed slightly as she spoke. “And keep up the good work,” she handed him a bigger envelope. “This is for the informant.”

Liara’s omnitool went off as she handed the man the money. She looked and the message was marked urgent; she looked at Javik, then the contact. “Is there somewhere private I can talk?”

The man nodded and ushered her into his office. He closed the door to give her privacy while he stood with Javik. “So you are a Prothean?” the man asked as they walked away.

“So it would seem,” was all Liara heard Javik respond. She smiled slightly, and activated her omnitool. She was slightly surprised to see Miranda. The surprise quickly turned to worry.

“Is Shepard ok?” she asked, feeling a slight shake in the pit of her stomach.

“Well, she certainly recovered quickly,” Miranda answered, but Liara could sense there was so much more.

“Miranda,” Liara growled.

“Liara, we were attacked by Cerberus,” Miranda paused for a moment, “and I’m afraid Cayle escaped.”

Three days, Liara thought to herself. She had only been gone three days. Liara tried to get her emotions under control but anger began to boil. She almost could not talk. “How?” she barely choked out.

“We must have had a Cerberus spy, or they knew you would have brought her here, or... who knows. Liara, I’m so sorry. There was nothing we could do, but we are tracking her now, I managed to get a tracer on her.”

“Find her.” Liara said between clenched teeth and deactivated the omnitool. She gripped the desk in front of her, her knuckles turning light blue as tears slowly made their way to her eyes. If Cerberus had Shepard, they could reprogram her and Liara might never get her back. The table began to shake under her grasp. The door opened and Javik stood in the doorway. The Asari’s biotics were charging all around her.

“Is everything all right, Liara?” He asked.

“No.” Liara barked out as she let go, her power unleashing from the very center of her soul. Her stomach was the ignition point for the bomb she had become as her power shattered the room and sent Javik flying.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Lazarus Station was by far the most advanced medical station in the Cerberus arsenal. It had been nothing but a shell of its former self after the Illusive Man had abandoned it. The Cerberus Council had debated for months on what they wanted to do with it. It seemed as though they were more interested in scrapping it for money than finding anything useful for it. So many people had died during the Lazarus project.

The Ambassador had managed to convince the council that the technology was sound, and that it was something worth resurrecting. There had been a long debate but in the end he had killed off the old council and replaced it with Cerberus agents who agreed with his vision; and they agreed to let him have it. The Ambassador had sent his best men to secure it, then repopulated with his most brilliant scientists.

Most of the notes and plans for the Lazarus project had been destroyed. There had not been enough left to recreate what Operative Lawson done. He had not been interested in that anyway, not at the moment. Instead, he opened it up to his people, let them research what they wanted. If the project was good enough he would grant them resources; if it wasn't, he would move them on.

One of his scientists had created an Omni-patch for the eye. It was still in the testing phase, but even the Ambassador had already had one installed. It was its own computer and when it was activated it looked much like an orange tinted visor. It could not enhance defence or weapons like the regular tool, but it could gather and analyse information, search data bases and had facial recognition as wells as telescopic and night vision advantages. So far the only drawback to the tool was the occasional headache, and they were working on sorting that out. When it was marketable he figured it would rake in quite a bit of funding for Cerberus.

Lazarus station had also been the place of Commander Cayle Shepard's second rebirth. Although this time she had been reborn as Lissa the Cerberus Assassin, and for three years she had worked for him personally. She had never failed and never questioned him. Not until recently, when the Asari, Liara T'Soni had found her.

When he had sent Lissa to Earth to take out the Salarian Dalatrass he had never imagined anyone would see her, let alone the Shadow Broker. Lissa had told him about their meeting, about how she and the Turian had been at the high rise when she left; she had felt some connection to T'Soni. The Ambassador knew he should have had her reprogrammed right then and there but knew that would bring suspicion.

Now, things were a mess. Kai Leng still had Harbingers control harness, Lissa had been taken to Cronos and Miranda Lawson, and he was beginning to worry about his control of Shepard. If worse came to worse he would kill her. It would be a sad day, he had grown fond of the woman, but she was expendable.

The Ambassador had always had several agents and spies working in the Alliance and C-Sec. He would never forget how luck had favoured him when one of his people had located Commander Shepard. She was very badly injured but alive. It had been amazingly easy to take her body in the confusion and get her to Lazarus station.

The next part had been harder. He had the best team working on fixing her. Her injuries had been horrible but she was still alive. A lot of her armour had been fused to her body, and her spine had been damaged in many places. When she arrived on Lazarus, she was blind and paralyzed. It had taken the better part of two years to heal her and to program her with a new life.

The first six months had been the worst. She had woken up many times with confused memories. She remembered being the defiant Commander who should be dead. There had been a few times she had talked about being dead. His doctors had been wearing Alliance uniforms so she would not know she was on a Cerberus facility. Many nights she had woken up calling out for T'Soni. At times, when the pain was unbearable, she would beg for the Asari to come and be with her.

The Ambassador had even found an Asari to play the part, but even blind, Shepard had known it wasn't her.

As the procedures continued Shepard called out for her lover less and less, and his Doctors programmed her with the memories he had designed. Soon she woke up calling for him, her mentor and best friend and even once, almost lovers. He left most of her childhood alone, changing only a few details in her teenaged years. The doctors had recommended that, a little bit of truth mixed in with deceit would solidify the process.

They also left a lot of her moral compass in check; he had been warned that she would truly have to believe in what she was doing. She had believed the Salarian Dalatrass had left the Human race out to dry, that the woman had withheld the Salarians from the battle because Shepard had not bent to her will. She believed that executing her it would set an example. Next time the Salarians would join the others. If the assassination caused a war, then so be it. The Salarians were expendable, if the humans didn't wipe them out, then the Krogan would. The Krogan were always looking for new home worlds.

Sending her to kill Kai Leng was not a problem either, a lot of people wanted the arrogant bastard dead anyway. His crush on Lissa was more than annoying.

The Ambassador had been livid when he found out Lissa had failed to retrieve the control harness, but that was quickly overshadowed by the fact that the Alliance had her on one of their facilities. Then he had learned that she rescued T'Soni instead of killing Leng, and it all fit together. Her programming was breaking down.

The rescue team had landed in Lazarus only a few minutes ago and he waited patiently, listening in on the conversation. He sipped lightly on his Thessian brandy as his patience slowly began to unravel. A knock on the door to his office brought a snarl to his lips.

"Enter," he said and watched as a well-armoured man entered the room.

"Sorry sir, we have just received word that Kai Leng is somewhere on Earth. I have a team that can go in and find him."

The Ambassador continued to listen to the chatter at Lazarus as he snarled even further at the armoured man in front of him.

"Find him, kill him and bring me my harness," he said, "If anyone gets in your way, it's acceptable collateral loss."

"Roger," the man said and left the room. As he did the confirmation finally came.

"We have the package," came a call from one of the commandos from Lazarus, "Returning to the shuttle now."

The Ambassador stood and moved over to a round plate to the left his table. He paused for a second before activating the holo emitter. He found himself looking at the back of an older man.

"Doctor Bateman." He said calmly. The man seemed to appear startled and turned around.

"Ambassador, it has been awhile," the doctor replied and stood to his full six-foot-seven height. A height that had earned him the nickname Lurch. It had always surprised people that he turned out to be one of the leading cognitive-behaviourists and hypnotherapists in the galaxy. Of course, his father and his father's father were also 'Hypnotists' so it was only natural that he joined their ranks.

He had been found by Cerberus in his first year of University by the Ambassador himself. He had been awestruck by how easily the tall man could control a person. The Ambassador had never really thought of using the skill before but watching the young doctor over the years had convinced him of its usefulness.

Doctor Hans Bateman had graduated the top of his class and the Cerberus agent had no idea if that was because he had actually made the grade, or had everyone believing he had made the grade. It didn't matter really, the man was a genius. The Ambassador had been a little concerned when the man had expressed an interest in the indoctrination process, not that he could blame him. It was his area of expertise. The Ambassador had made a deal with the man and brought several indoctrinated Cerberus agents to him to let him figure out what had been done.

His research had helped him in his complete control of Shepard, until now.

"Hans, Lissa is going to be coming to Lazarus very soon. I want you to oversee her recovery personally."

Hans raised an eyebrow. "Sir?"

"It appears as though we may have lost some control over Shepard. She had a run in with her former lover, T'Soni, and I am afraid she compromised her last mission to save the woman."

The tall doctor grunted. "I told you this might happen. We can control a lot of her behaviour, but we cannot make her do things that Shepard would think was deeply morally wrong. Seeing T'Soni is not a good sign either, but there would still have to be more. Was she injured, drinking, drugs anything like that? That would weaken our hold."

"She was badly injured, but Lissa doesn't drink and I doubt she would do drugs," the Ambassador said.

"Usually losing control would be the result of a series of unfortunate events," Hans explained, "Drugs, injuries, seeing a loved one, specially T'Soni. I had a tough time getting around the bond she had with that Asari, almost failed because of it."

"Maybe we should have created a bond for her, a human, maybe even a female," the Ambassador mused out loud.

"It would not have mattered; her bond with the Asari was strong. Her natural instinct to protect kicked in. I will have to work further on that."

"Yes, she is coming to you soon." Again the Ambassador paused. "If we cannot correct this issue then we will have to terminate her."

"Sir?"

"Shepard cannot be allowed to live. She was not just the greatest warrior Humanity had; she was the greatest warrior the galaxy had. She might have been human but she fought for everyone: Turians, Volus, Asari, all of them. If Shepard returns, she will become our greatest enemy. She took out Saren and the Geth, Harbinger and the Collectors, and she defeated the Reapers. She also wiped out the Illusive Man and his entire branch of Cerberus. If we cannot control her we must kill her. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Ambassador." The large man said.

"Do not disappoint me." The Ambassador concluded, disappearing from the doctor's sight.  
________________________________________

Lissa winced as the shuttle touched down in Lazarus Station. She had pulled some stitches in her bid to escape, and her hip was still plenty sore. The running she had forced herself to do had not really helped the healing process. Her hospital gown was covered in blood.

As the doors opened, she was greeted by two medical doctors and Doctor Bateman, which was weird. The last thing she needed right now was a psychologist, not that she really talked to him a lot anyway. She had assigned appointments with him that were mandatory and she hated them, but every Cerberus operative had mandatory appointments with his office. She always felt they were counterproductive and a complete waste of time. If she had wanted to speak with anyone about her problems, it would not be with Bateman.

Not that he was bad, he certainly did care. He seemed enthralled with her being an assassin and just what mentality it took, almost like she was his personal test subject. She wouldn't be surprised if he someday wrote a book.

One funny thing about her appointments though; she always felt as though they accomplished nothing, but she always left feeling refreshed and better about herself. Maybe it was the incense he liked to burn.

The other doctors held a stretcher between them and helped her get on it, one of them already lifting the gown she was wearing. He shook his head slightly as his onmitool appeared and scanned her. The other doctor secured her and began to push her back to the medical center.

"Well, Lawson did a good job in healing that hip and the shoulder is solid." He said to her. "But you probably should have stayed in bed. The exertion tore open the sealing on your hip."

Lissa smiled. "I'm not sure what staying still means."

"No kidding." The man replied. Lissa struggled to remember his name, which was strange, as she never forgot a name. Especially not his since they had flirted before. They had even gone out on a date or two.

He was young and handsome and brilliant. Perhaps one of the greatest doctors Cerberus had employed. She remembered that he graduated medical school at an insanely young age; he was classified as a genius. She liked his rebellious shoulder-length hair and his intense but soft brown eyes, and he certainly had the hands of a surgeon in more ways than one. She could not remember his name. She tried to remember their dates, him kissing her but it wasn't him. She could only see the Asari. She would remember them touching but all she could envision was soft blue hands. She gave it up.

They swung into the medical center and into a private room. Once there, they removed the gown and did a complete scan. The young doctor came towards her with a needle.

"No," she said, holding up a hand, "I don't want to be put out, just freeze the area." The doctor looked at the other two.

"Sounds good, I see no problem with that," he said, but Bateman moved over to her.

"You sure, Lissa? It could be painful; I mean, you have been through a lot," The older psychologist said. Lissa shook her head.

"If I freeze the area, she shouldn't feel anything," Lissa finally spotted his name badge: Derek Hill.

"Fine," Bateman said. He looked from Derek to the other man. "When she is fixed up, let me know."

"Sure will," Derek said, watching Bateman leave. "That was weird."

"He's always weird," the other doctor said and sunk his needle into the fleshy area near the injury.

"Creepy," Lissa gave her own opinion. She laid down and tried to relax as the two doctors worked on sealing the damage she had done to herself. A nurse came in and attached an IV to her arm as she tried to relax. She was home and safe, wasn't she?

She closed her eyes and tried to remember her last date with Derek. She had not wanted to go, but the Ambassador thought it would have been a good idea for her to mingle. She had not really dated anyone in years, not since the fling the two of them had.

Derek had been funny and cute, and had a wicked sense of humour. He had made her laugh throughout the date. The first time they had dated he had walked her to her quarters and like a gentleman, he kissed her good night and left. By the second date he had ended up in her quarters, and there had been more than kissing.

She smiled as she thought of that night. He had the most amazingly soft and talented hands. She almost found herself getting excited as she replayed the scenario in her head. Derek had soft lips but he was an aggressive kisser. He managed to find all of her weak spots quite quickly and was amazing at exploiting them.

As she continued to daydream of their date, she realized that slowly he began to change. His red lips turned to a deep shade of purple and his hands were blue. She tried to stop the daydream only to find that at some point she had fallen asleep. As Derek entered her she found that he was no longer present and Liara was suckling her neck, her arm stretching down over her stomach. Her body arched to allow the woman access to her and she shuddered and groaned as she accepted it. This was what was right; she felt that with her very soul. She didn't know why or how, but it was what should be.

Lissa felt as though she had actually become a part of the Asari as she continued. Wave after wave of electricity and fire threatened to consume her as her body was no longer in her control. Just when she could not take it anymore, Liara looked into her eyes. "Embrace eternity, Cayle" She whispered.

Lissa jolted awake, her heart thundering in her chest, a thin layer of sweat covering her body. Her breath was heavy as her body was still recovering from the powerful sensations Liara had worked her into. "I love you." She said to nobody, but was envisioning the Asari. "Why do I love you?"

~Because you are Shepard.~ her conscious finally spoke up.

Before she could even counter that thought the door to her room opened and Doctor Bateman entered. "Oh good, you're finally awake."

"Finally?"

"You have been sleeping for more than a day. We were starting to get worried," Bateman explained.

"A day!" she pulled the covers aside and stood up; she had to grab the bed for balance. Her hip did feel better than it had, though. She looked to him as all sorts of thoughts ran through her head. Like the fact that she could never really remember her appointments with this man. It had never really bothered her, until now.

"Lissa, you need to get back into bed," the doctor was trying to sooth her but that only made her more worried.

~You are Shepard.~ the phrase was echoing in her head.

"Why can't I remember?" She yelled at him.

"Remember what, Lissa? What are you trying to remember?"

She looked about the room and spotted a syringe. She had no idea what was in it. She grabbed her IV stand and pulled it behind her as she moved over closer to it. She knew she was home and that she should feel safe, but she didn't. If anything, the feeling of danger hit every part of her body.

She looked back to him and noticed, for the first time, the watch he wore. It wasn't a watch but some sort of soft light used to distract a person, and he was using it now. It all suddenly came together. He was a psychologist, an expert in behaviour modification.

~You are Shepard.~

He had done something to her. He had blocked her memories. She reached for the IV and tore it out of her hand and then grabbed the syringe. "I am Shepard," she shouted at him, "do not call me Lissa!"

Her mind was going in all sorts of different directions. She knew she was Shepard but her memories were those of Lissa's. Maybe it was Lawson that had done something to her. It would be easy to believe that if she could stop thinking of Liara T'Soni, if the love she felt for the Asari was not so powerful. "What have you done to me?" She said, not looking at the man.

"Lissa, it's not what we have done to you." He cooed and aimed the light at her again. She jumped and grabbed his wrist, twisting it hard, causing him to spin. She slammed him face first into the wall. She brought the syringe up with her other hand.

"I am Shepard." She growled into his ear. "What have you done to me?"

Bateman only smiled calmly. "Baby mine…"

"Stop!" came a call from the door way. Both sets of eyes switched to the newcomer.

Miranda stood with a firearm pointed at Bateman; Jacob Taylor stood behind her, watching the door. "Don't you say a word unless I give you permission, do you understand?" The doctor nodded wordlessly. Miranda moved closer.

"Shepard?" She looked to Lissa.

"I don't know." The assassin answered honestly. She felt vulnerable for the first time since she was a child. She did know though, that for some reason she could trust Miranda Lawson.

"That's a start, anyway," Jacob said with a slight smile. Lissa looked at Miranda.

"Put down the syringe and we can get him to restore your memory." Miranda promised.

"I have no idea of what you are talking about," Bateman protested. "What have you done to her?"

"It's over." Lissa/Cayle hissed into his ear.

"Jacob, seal the door," Miranda directed, then moved over to the doctor and placed her pistol against his lips. "You know exactly what I am talking about and you will restore her memories or I will show you pain like you have never felt before."

"If I give her back her memories, I'm dead anyway," Bateman said. Lissa/Cayle knew this was true, the Ambassador did not suffer failure well and this would be a huge failure.

"Please, don't take me with you," Lissa/Cayle said. There was silence for a few minutes.

"All right, I can release her. It will take some time and you have to promise to get me out of here."

Lissa/Cayle looked at Miranda and let the syringe drop from her hand. She let the man go and stepped away.

"You will need to sit down. This will take a little while."  
________________________________________

Cayle was not sure how she should feel. The doctor had finished five minutes ago and she was still struggling with what he had done to her, of how he had changed her memories, of how he had controlled her. It was ingenious how he had amalgamated her past to fit Cerberus' need, changing only small bits and pieces at the beginning and more as needed.

Her thoughts were all over; she thought about what she had done as Lissa. The people she had killed, the lives she had ruined. She had killed the Salarian Dalatrass. She had disliked the woman, but not enough to want her dead. She thought of her relationship with the Ambassador and shivered. He had made up that past. She had never had a relationship with him after all. It was odd though, she still had feelings for him even though she was no longer Lissa. Not strong feelings, not like the feelings she had for Liara, but she had come to like the Ambassador, he treated her well and fair and she was always his favorite.

She remembered everything; everything from both lives and it was confusing. One thing that was not confusing was the Catalyst and the choice and the pain. She remembered waking up and being unable to move or see. She could hear people close but her chest felt compacted. She could only whisper as she called for help. She remembered floating in and out of reality and then finally waking up as Lissa.

It was quiet in the room as the small gathering allowed Shepard to adjust to new revelations and she looked from Miranda back to Bateman. She looked at the ground and Liara floated into her head and everything began to finally focus.

Liara, the woman she loved more than anything. She needed her and wanted her now. She looked back up at Miranda, standing out of her chair.

They had all been chasing Kai Leng. His little robot girlfriends had gone after the Asari and Cayle had rescued them, but they had not received the control harness, which only meant that Liara was quite possibly going after it again, alone. Cayle was not sure Liara could handle Leng on her own. Her heart began tightening as she thought of all sorts of bad things that could happen.

"Where is Liara?" She demanded.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

To say she was angry was an understatement. It had taken every ounce of her willpower to not go after her lover; she was no longer used to trusting others. She had to rely on herself for so long. Miranda had assured her she had a plan and Liara needed to trust in that. Shepard had been taken to Lazarus Station and no one knew that station better then Miranda Lawson. She had designed it, had a hand in building it; she used it to save Cayle after her first “death”. She had to have a little bit of faith.

Kai Leng’s meeting and the device took president. It was important that she keep whatever it was out of Cerberus hands. It was important to keep it out of everyone’s hands until she could figure out what it did. Last thing she wanted was a rise of the Reapers. She would destroy it before she allowed that to happen again.

Liara had just over a day until the last of the auction would take place and she actually took the time to wander the streets her lover grew up in. It was depressing and dirty, and a shame that the Government did nothing to help these people. Seeing Cayle’s home did a lot to help Liara understand the drive and ambition that Commander Shepard possessed.

Her mother had been killed when she was only five or six, Cayle could never remember. What she did remember was her mother singing to her. The young Shepard had been riding a bicycle she had found and fell and scraped her knee. She had run home and her mother had bandaged it for her, and then soothed her by singing her favorite song. They were on the couch together when the robbery happened.

The murderers had been looking for some drugs but Cayle contested to this day her mother had none. Liara would never argue this point as Cayle still had a five-year-old's perspective of her mother. She had sat holding her mother’s hand, covered in her blood for over a day and a half when a neighbour finally came to check up on her.

From there Shepard went to numerous different foster homes. Some she liked, some she didn’t. More often than not they could not handle her. The first couple of years after she had been found Cayle didn’t talk, and then when she did she had a speech impediment. Eventually she found her way into the home of a teacher; the woman taught her how to read and helped her with the accent Shepard had developed. She did not last long there as the teacher’s oldest son had developed an infatuation with the girl and behaved inappropriately. When this had come out into the open Cayle was sent back to an orphanage.

From there she finally gave in and joined the gangs. Cayle had done well in the Bloods, climbing the ranks quickly with every kill she made. Liara did not even need to read her lover to know how much she abhorred this time in her life. She had become a weapon wielded by people she hated. It was a necessity; her only other option was becoming a drug-addled hooker and she refused that. She didn’t want anyone touching her at that point in her life. She had still done many things she had not been proud of.

Liara knew Cayle’s life as much as Cayle knew hers. They had shared both throughout several melds. She knew how Shepard had ended up joining the Alliance. How she had a target that she simply could not kill. She had been tasked to eliminate an Alliance officer that had been fighting the Bloods drug trade. Shepard had never known his name, nor had she ever run into him after this.

She had followed him for days, learning his patterns and habits. When she had finally found a spot to set up on him she had not been able to pull the trigger. She had watched him through her scope, playing with his children, pushing them on swings. She watched him from pretty much the whole day. It was when she packed up, never taking the shot that she had run into Anderson.

He had spotted her on his way to visit the Officer and was closing in to stop her. Instead of arresting her, he took her under his wing and the rest was pretty much history.

Thinking of her lover's past, Liara could not help but notice all the children that would not make it; all the children that had already fallen into a life of destitute. No wonder Shepard hating coming back to Earth; at least, to this part of Earth.

Liara had been working on getting Cayle to bring her to a beach on Earth. She had seen them in vids and read about them and had always wanted to visit one. She had actually planned on doing such last time she had come to Earth, but circumstances had gotten in the way. She had also wanted to hike through Plitvice Lakes National Park with the Spectre. It was rumoured to have a number of beautiful natural waterfalls. Someday, hopefully, she would be able to.

Spadina was the Eastern border of the slums. A wall had already been built separating the street in half. On the West side was poverty, and on the East side was the exact opposite. As a matter of fact it was quite glamorous. It was amazing how many people paid to be so close to the slum. There were several tall hotels along the streets that overlooked the wall. It was sickening to Liara.

It was in the largest of these hotels that Kai Leng had decided to have his auction. He would be in one room and the prospective clients would all be in separate rooms on the same floor. Liara looked at the key and the bidding number she had received as she made her way up to the eighth floor. She really did not have a good feeling about this. Neither did Javik, who liked to tell her this every few minutes.

“I do not like this,” he said, as if he had read her mind. Liara smiled slightly.

“Yes, you have mentioned that before; several times,” Liara commented.

“I would like it slightly more if my arm was not broken.” He accused; the Asari was uncertain if that was meant to be playful. Javik’s humour was dry, period.

“I’m sorry,” Liara looked at him, “It was reflex, I could not control my anger and you opened the door at a bad moment.”

“Perhaps you need to work on your self control.”

She had no argument for that; she had almost thrown him through a wall. She simply nodded as the elevator stopped and she stepped out to the eighth floor. It seemed empty and she figured everyone had probably been given a different arrival time so they would not know who they were betting against. Liara was not sure if she liked these arrangements. It also meant she didn’t know who she would be up against if everything went south. She could imagine who was here, who had the money for something like this.

She herself, as the Shadow Broker, would be there. As would Cerberus, but she doubted Leng would have invited them. The Eclipse sisters, Blue Sun and the Blood Pack were all distinct possibilities. As for races, she could very well see the Salarians and perhaps the Volus; the Turians, Humans and Asari were still deep in debt. Either way there was going to be a lot of fire power on this floor.

The odd couple moved into their room and closed the door behind them, locking it securely. They both set their bags on the beds.

“I do not like this,” Javik repeated once more. “We will not know who are in the rooms on either side of us, or what they have planned. We are trapped.”

Liara moved to the balcony and opened the door. “That is why we brought the rope with us. If worse comes to worse, we go down. I don’t want to do that without the device, though.”

“I understand.” Javik said as he began to go over his weapons. He still favoured his particle rifle, which was nice since he was the only one who had one. It had been in his stasis pod with him and it never left his side. Liara did not rely heavily on weapons and as such, she carried a much smaller shuriken. They both had their biotics to rely on as well, but Liara was much stronger than Javik in that regard.

As they loaded and prepared, Liara could not help but feel a lot of people were going to die today. She just hoped Javik or herself would manage to come out alive. She had Mouse and Kolyat two floors down in case of emergency. If everything went wrong they would use the ropes to go down to that floor and come up from that direction.

She smiled as she holstered her weapon.

“I do not see anything humorous, Liara T’Soni.”

“I was just thinking, if Shepard were here she would have started firing as soon as she got off the elevator. Everyone would know she was here.”

Javik nodded. “She was not one to be subtle.”

“I remember after a mission once, we called for Steven to pick us up and he mentioned just following the smoke,” Liara trailed off.

“I am sure that ex-Cerberus agent has rescued Shepard,” Javik said after Liara grew quiet.

“If anyone could, it would be Miranda,” Liara said, trying to convince herself. She should have known that Cerberus would have come for their “toy”. As much as she wanted to pin all of the blame on Miranda she couldn’t.

“Mouse could not get in the individual room to set up the cameras, but he did get quite a few in the hallway.” Javik explained and he handed Liara an ear piece. “You can hear him through this. He will be able to tell us who comes in.”

Liara turned her equipment on. “Mouse, are you there?” she looked to Javik, “don’t you think they would have some plan against this? I mean, if not, I am sure everyone is probably doing this.”

Javik merely shrugged.

“Boss, good to hear you,” Mouse replied. “Well, got some bad news for you. On one side of you are Krogans and on the other side a group of Turians; I’m going to guess Blue Suns, but they are not in uniform.”

“Krogans, which side?” Javik asked. 

“If you’re looking at the door they would be on your right.”

Both Liara and Javik turned in that direction. “That wall is not going to hold them back,” Liara said. Javik simply nodded.

“I would think the bathroom would be the most secure place. The Krogan would charge through the wall in the middle and shots usually go centre mass. If anyone is in the hall they will shoot through the door.”

Liara nodded. “Any sign of Leng?”

“None,” Mouse said. “I saw him go in last night but not to the eighth floor. Kolyat is trying to hack into the hotel's computer to see if he can find him.”

“He has a half hour, tell him to hurry,” Liara moved into the bathroom and sat on the closed lid of the toilet, Javik leaned against the counter.

“If he is not on this floor, then perhaps we can get off this floor and move to another.”

There was a knock on the door. Javik and Liara looked at each other.

“Mouse?” Liara asked.

“It looks like a hotel employee, human, female,” there was another knock. Javik held up a finger and moved to the doorway of the bathroom. He reached out with his long hand and covered the peep hole with his fingertip. As he did the door almost exploded as if it was hit with a shot gun at close range.

That was when it all went to hell. Someone crashed into their room through the wall. As predicted, it was like paper to the Krogan. There was gun fire from down the hall as other factions sprang into action. Liara could not help but think that Kai Leng had planned this. This was not an auction but a survival of the fittest.

“Mouse, where is he?” Liara growled. Javik stepped out of the bathroom and shot the woman who had been at the door. Liara stepped out the other way and threw out a singularity at the Krogan. They were three doors away from the stairs. There was an explosion somewhere down at the other end of hall. The hotel was going to get torn apart.

“He’s in the penthouse. He signed in under the last name Surebrec,” Mouse finally reported; Liara rolled her eyes. Liara and Javik left the room running for the stairs. “Barricade,” Mouse shouted. Liara turned and did so as a barrage of bullets slammed into the invisible wall. Javik returned fire as two Turians dove for cover. The other end of the hall was merely a flaming, gaping maw. The fire alarm started going off.

Liara turned and pushed herself through the door to the stairwell. “Javik!” She called. The Prothean joined her. “We’re going up.”

“That’s 15 flights.” Javik said. Liara smiled at him slightly and began to run. She knew they would not be able to run up all 15 flights and the fact that people were now coming down did not help.

“That bastard is probably up there laughing at the chaos he started,” Liara said with a scowl. Javik did not answer as he struggled to go up through the people. Occasionally someone would tell them they were going the wrong way. It took them the better part of ten minutes to make it up to the penthouse. Liara was out of breath and stopped. She could hear screaming from below and the sound of gunshots. They had not been the only ones to figure out where the device was. As a matter of fact, the destroyed door told her they were not the first and they entered together, almost back to back only to find themselves in the middle of some sort of standoff. Kai Leng and a Phantom were standing by the doors to the balcony. There were three Cerberus troops, two Krogans (though not Blood Pack), three Eclipse sisters and two other Humans Liara didn’t know. The elevators opened and all eyes went there as Ashley and two Alliance officers stepped through.

“Liara, surprised to see you here.” Ashley said calmly. Liara nodded to her. In the middle of all of them was a black bag. It was the only thing out of sorts in the room and Liara guessed it was the device.

“So what do we do now?” Liara said, looking at Leng.

“Well, we can all put down our weapons.” Leng said. It was obvious he had not expected this either.

“You first, Human,” one of the Krogans said. Liara could still hear the chaos from down below. Liara looked at Leng.

“This is my party, I think I’ll keep my weapons,” he said calmly. It was quiet as everyone looked around at everyone. Liara began to wonder if she was going to get out of this alive. Then she heard her, somewhere behind her whispering in her ear.

“When I say the word you get Ashley and all three of you jump out of the window,” It was Cayle, obviously cloaked. Liara almost smiled.

“I think you should all put your weapons down and surrender,” Ashley demanded. “This is obviously Alliance territory and you are trespassing.”

Liara knew the Spectre would make a demand like that. A demand that went ignored. Everyone in the room wanted the device and they were all willing to kill for it. At this point Liara just wanted to get her and Javik out. Suddenly a shot rang out and one of the Eclipse Sisters fell to the ground.

That ended the stand-off as Shepard suddenly appeared; she was no longer blonde but she still had the short hair. Liara moved for Ashley and set up a barricade around all of them. Ashley looked at Cayle as if she had seen a ghost.

“Go.” Shepard screamed at them. Liara moved towards the balcony pushing Ashley as she did. As they got closer to the balcony Shepard and Javik lay down. Shepard went into cloak again. Liara almost called for her to stop. Bullets rained through the room and people fell and fought for the device. Liara looked over the balcony as a shuttle suddenly appeared. Miranda stood in it.

“Come on.” She yelled. Javik did not need to be told twice as he jumped across. Ashley and Liara followed suit. Liara stood at the edge looking for Cayle.

“Go,” She heard Shepard call to them from somewhere in the room of death. There was a Krogan, a Human and a Turian left in the fight and they were all behind cover. The Cerberus agents were gone, as was Kai Leng and the package.

Shepard was nowhere to be seen.

“We have to go.” Miranda said. “The Alliance will be all over this place and we need to get out of here,” She looked at Ashley.

“That was Shepard,” Ashley said looking at Liara. Liara wanted to smile but she was worried for her lover.

“Let me go back,” Liara said as the shuttle moved away. “Miranda, stop!” She moved to jump out but Javik grabbed her.

“Do not be foolish, Asari.” He said, fighting with her. He was forced to take her to the ground as she struggled.

“No, I can’t leave her behind again!” Liara was hysterical, she couldn’t help it. Every time she left Shepard behind someone declared her dead. “Let me go!”

Miranda closed the door and Liara went limp as it clicked shut. She could not help but feel like she had five years ago when Shepard made her return to the Normandy. Javik let her go and she sprung up quickly, punching Miranda in the jaw.

“Go back, we can’t leave her there!” Liara demanded, her biotics flaring. Miranda’s crackled to life.

“Stand down, T’Soni, there was a plan. If we did not get the package in the pent house she was going to get it. She will meet us,” She looked at Ashley, “Somewhere later.”

Liara was breathing deeply trying to calm her anger, her chest heaving, but her eyes locked on Miranda’s. Everyone seemed to hold their breath. “She'd better,” was all Liara could spit out as she brought herself back under control.

\----

Kai Leng walked up Spadina to where his car would be waiting. He had lost his last Phantom but he had survived. Unfortunately, he had also lost the device. He was not completely certain but he thought he saw Cerberus leaving with it. It would seem as though the Ambassador would get his way again.

He was just happy he had survived. The fact that Lissa looked a lot like Commander Shepard was intriguing. He had never really thought of it before, as Lissa had no qualms about killing anyone and Shepard was a bleeding heart. He hated Shepard, but he did like Lissa. What a quandary that was, for him and probably for the woman herself. He wondered if the Ambassador was aware he had lost her yet. Not that it would matter; he got the device.

Leng was a survivor, but he had been hoping to make enough credits that he could go somewhere and retire. Somewhere no one would find him. He had always wanted a cabin out in the middle of nowhere. Not that he thought he would retire completely; sometimes he just had too much fun playing with people’s lives. Maybe he would have started up his own little band of mercenaries. He’d never know now.

He smiled to himself as he realized just how close to death he had come. His smile turned into a smirk as his walk returned to his usual cocky swagger. He was almost to his car, and then he would get off this planet.

“Hello Kai,” he felt an arm wrap around his chest and before he could do anything, he lost his breath. He was confused at first, struggling to get a breath. As he turned and spotted Lissa/Cayle holding a knife in her hand, he understood. She had cut his throat; his vocal chords and windpipe was gone. He fell to his knees and somewhere, someone screamed. Cayle walked calmly up to him, pistol drawn. “There will be no coming back this time,” she said; then fired. His world went black as the bullet smashed through his skull and slid through his brain.

Cayle looked down at the man as he died and waited until his heart stopped completely. The only regret she had was he had did not have the device. People were running from her, but she didn’t care. She dropped the gun down beside his head. It would have her prints on it but she didn’t care. Shepard was back and sooner or later, everyone would know. Right now though, there was only one person on her mind.

“Liara,” she said with a slight smile and a tear in her eyes. She wanted her lover more than anything. She tucked her knife away and cloaked.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

She had developed a pattern. Twenty paces one way, twenty paces back, look at the time for a minute or two, then resume pacing.

Liara had never been good at waiting, especially now when she waited for a miracle to walk back into her life. Again she had been forced to leave Shepard behind and in a potentially deadly situation; held back by her friends as the doors to the shuttle closed tightly. They all promised her Shepard would be here but it had been over an hour. Liara would wait forever if she had to.

“She’s survived worse.” Javik said, trying to be comforting. He was terrible at it, but at least he tried. She did not acknowledge him. There were so many things that could go wrong. She could have been hurt in the original battle, or she could have been in the building when it collapsed. Anyone one of the people in the battle could have taken her hostage or prisoner. She could have been arrested. It was too much and Liara was weak with speculation.

Nothing had gone the way Liara had planned and now everything could be ruined. She wanted to blame Miranda or Ashley, or maybe even Javik. The truth was she had fallen in love with a hero, with a woman that would always put everyone else before herself, a woman that was willing to die for a cause. It was no one’s fault but her own, and she would not change it for the world.

“I know,” Liara finally answered. She tried to be calm as her heart tumbled into her stomach and played with the butterflies there. She squatted down and rested her elbows on her knees. She prayed silently to the Goddess to bring her lover back to her. As she did, Miranda and Ashley began to argue yet again.

“She’s an Alliance soldier, and as such needs to be brought back into the fold!” Ashley argued.

“Why? So they can arrest her, and ground her indefinitely?” Miranda retorted. “I will not allow that to happen.”

“You think I would?”

“Yes! You would do whatever you are told, because you are an Alliance soldier first, and a Spectre second. You should never have gotten the title.” Miranda crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the shuttle. Liara said nothing but she agreed with Miranda, she always had.

Not that Ashley was a bad person, but she was a xenophobe and she would always do exactly what she was told by the Alliance brass. Liara had no doubt that was why Udina had picked her. Personally Liara had always wanted to see Garrus with that honour, but being the next in line for the Primarch of Palaven kept him out of the running.

She could feel Ashley looking at her. She looked back at her. “Think about it Ashley: they might welcome Shepard back with open arms, but they would have to make her responsible for her actions as the Cerberus Agent.”

“But she had no control over that,” Ashley countered.

“We all know that,” Miranda explained. “But she was still the one who assassinated the Dalatrass. Best case scenario is an honorable discharge, but more likely she will have to answer for her actions. Look at what happened with the Batarians, and they trusted her then; or supposedly trusted her.”

“We all want a happy ending, Ash,” Liara continued. “But that rarely happens in the real world. The Salarians will want her punished.”

“No they wouldn’t,” Ashley argued, “Most of them were not happy with their Dalatrass, they moved behind her back! They were in the process of having her removed.”

“Without killing her, though.” Miranda said. “I still have some surgery left to do, get rid of those scars, revert some pigmentation back to normal, but then I think it best that she simply disappears with Liara.”

Liara liked this idea, but she knew Shepard. She had been unable to convince her not to turn herself in after the Batarian incident. Cayle would always do the honourable action, it was almost a curse. This time though she would not leave her side.

“Personally, I think we should do whatever Shepard wants.” It was Cayle, coming out of cloak in front of Liara. Tears instantly filled the Asari’s eyes as she looked up at the woman she loved. Shepard held a hand out for her and Liara took it. Shepard helped her to stand and they were face to face.

Cayle’s hair was still short, but it was black again, and her eyes were still emerald green. It didn’t matter, the human’s intensity was back and she could see the love in them. The colour meant nothing, but she did hope Miranda could revert them to the steely grey blue they had been.

It was quiet for a long moment as Shepard and Liara looked into each other’s eyes. Cayle gave her that slight sideways smile that was always reserved just for her and Liara knew that everything would be all right. The human’s hands moved to the Asari’s waist and pulled her close. She reached up and wiped away the tears from Liara’s cheeks.

For a few brief seconds there were only two people in the whole world, the rest was just background. There was no noise except their breathing, nothing except the two of them. “I missed you,” Liara whispered. “I knew you were alive but no one believed me.”

“Shhh,” Cayle cooed, “I love you, Liara T’Soni, and I will always come back for you.”

Shepard leaned down and Liara tilted her head to accommodate her and their lips met, softly at first, Cayle pulling her closer as if wanting to make them one. Liara was hers, it didn’t need to be spoken, and she would always belong to Cayle Shepard. When they parted Liara panicked slightly as she remembered the night she had lost Cayle. She took a deep breath and tried to stop herself from shaking.

The last reunion she had with Shepard, when she had died on the Normandy, Liara had been cold and distant, afraid to open up again. She felt none of that this time. Her love for this woman was an open book, written in every language possible. “I love you Cayle Shepard, and I will always be here for you. I am yours.”

“I know.” Shepard whispered back and kissed her again. Liara could not help but think she was in heaven. Cayle smile at her when they parted.

“Commander?” this came from Ashley. Cayle reluctant untangled herself from her lover and looked over at the solider.

“Ashley?” She mimicked. Ashley smiled and stepped forward. Cayle hugged her and then stepped away. “You are looking good.”

Ashley chuckled. “You too, for a dead woman.”

“I got better,” Cayle smiled. Javik held out his hand for her and she took it.

“I knew you were special, Human,” He said as Cayle chuckled.

“And I knew you were sentimental, Prothean.”

Cayle nodded to Miranda, they had already had their reunion and Shepard knew Miranda well enough to know that it would remain a private thing. Miranda was not practised at letting her emotions through. The smile she had gotten from Miranda was enough to know the woman was happy she was back. That, and Miranda finally admitting that she admired her was more then she expected.

She looked at the small group now and took a breath. “Leng is dead but I did not get the device,” she reported.

“Just what is the device?” Ashley asked.

“I don’t know a lot about it, just that they need it to activate Harbinger and I really do not find that to be a good idea,” Cayle explained. “I did a quick head count before I had to leave the hotel, Leng and Cerberus were the only ones to escape and Leng did not have the device.”

“Where would they take it?” Javik asked.

“Omega,” Miranda and Cayle stated at the same time. Cayle smiled slightly.

“They control the Omega 4 relay and they use Omega station as a launching base for their fighters to protect it,” Miranda explained.

“We can’t do this alone,” Shepard said and wrapped an arm around Liara, wanting her to remain close. The Asari could not help but smile. “But I know the perfect person to help us.”

“Do you think Aria will help us?” Liara asked, she and the older Asari really never got along.

“She wanted her station back,” Cayle said. “One of the first things Aria ever said to me was to not fuck with her, and Cerberus seems to have made that mistake.” Cayle grew quiet; she'd had dealings with Aria since becoming a Cerberus robot; she wondered if the woman would put two and two together. It might be awkward if she did.

“Are you ok?” Liara asked, concerned.

“We will probably need the Alliance's help,” She said. “I will eventually have to go back to them and let them decide my fate.”

“Why?” This, surprisingly, was from Miranda. “I know you were their poster child but really, they are just going to screw it all up and you’ll end up under house arrest again. You don’t need to do this, Shepard. Not again.”

“I don’t want to cross the Omega 4 relay without firepower either. We need them.”

“Miranda is right,” Ashley said, “You go to the Alliance, and they will send me to the relay, not you.”

Cayle ran a hand through her short hair and moved away from the group. The Alliance would arrest her; Shepard had to hope they would understand. What Lissa did was not her, Cayle Shepard. She had always done everything for the good of the galaxy. She had never just stood for Humanity, she had stood as a united front of every being. She had sacrificed herself for all of them, would they be so quick to turn their backs on her? They had once before.

“I have to,” She said finally, “Even if it means being arrested and jailed.” She turned back and looked at them. “Harbinger was the first and probably the biggest threat. We don’t know what Cerberus has planned for him and I personally do not want to find out, so it needs to be stopped. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I let Cerberus destroy everything we fought so hard for, everything we sacrificed, because I was afraid of what might happen to me.”

Liara looked to the ground; yes, this was definitely the Shepard they all loved. She would never admit it to anyone, but Cayle under house arrest on Earth was safer then Cayle leading yet another army into a potentially deadly situation. She hated the fact that they would do that to her, but felt secure in that she would not have to live in the fear of never seeing the woman again.

“I won’t let them keep you out of the fight.” Ashley said, surprising everyone. “Without you, Saren would have destroyed the Citadel; without you, the Collectors would have destroyed the Terminus System. Without you, we would all be dead. You brought peace to the Krogans and the Turians; you did the same with the Quarians and the Geth. I might be the Commanding Officer of the Normandy, but Shepard, you are the Normandy. I’m a Spectre and I can pull strings.”

Shepard smiled. “Well, let’s not make any plans until we get Aria on board. No one knows Omega like she does. We are going to need her to get us into a back door. Last I checked she was on the Citadel.”

“Well she was, but she inherited some large establishment on Tortuga.” Liara explained.

“Of course she did,” Shepard said. She hated that planet. “Well then we will head there. When we have Aria secured, we will come back to Earth and plan our next move.” She paused. “I’ll go with Liara.”

Liara smiled. “Until then, everyone stay safe and tell no one.” It would be hard; she was dying to tell Tali and Garrus already.

They boarded the shuttle, leaving Ashley by herself. When the doors closed, Cayle took a deep breath and leaned against a bulkhead.

“Are you ok?” Liara asked, concerned.

“No, not really,” Cayle admitted. “I need to work a few things out in my head. I have two sets of memories and they are clashing.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Nothing Liara, I just need some time alone to think,” She whispered, “Just some time.”

Shepard leaned, her hand pressed against the wall, head slightly bent, letting the hot water of the shower tumble over her hair and down over her face. Two lives merged and tangled into one another as she tried her best to separate them.

She wondered again, for the millionth time, if she should have had the Doctor eliminate the false memories, the false life.

She had done so much during her time as a Cerberus agent that she was not proud of. “Lissa” had been able to justify them because that was all she knew. Shepard was different. Killing was a necessary defense. Life was precious and all life had meaning. That included the Salarian Dalatrass.

Shepard had disliked the woman and her backstabbing ways, but she understood where she had come from. She understood the fear the woman actually felt. She truly believed the Krogan would become an uncontrollable menace. She failed to see the bigger picture. She didn’t know Wrex, and therefore could not trust him like Shepard did. She did not deserve to die like she had; she did not need to be made an example of.

Shepard lowered her head, still feeling the shame in letting Cerberus control her the way she had. She wondered if she would ever be able to come to terms with what had happened. She wondered if she would ever be able to trust herself again.

She heard the door to the shower open and felt a hand on her side. She knew that touch, even as Lissa she had dreamt of Liara’s gentle caring touch. The Asari kissed her shoulder and Cayle shut her eyes. She could only imagine what her lover had gone through while she was “away”. Shepard had died once before for two years and the Asari had changed.

She had become independent, which Shepard had actually liked. Liara had developed an inner strength that made her a leader in her own right. She had found her talent in information brokering and it suited her. Liara had also developed a slight dark side, one that she had become frighteningly close to giving in to. When they had first reunited, Cayle had honestly thought she had lost her. Liara had pushed her away and kept her at a distance as if blaming her for dying. For a while Cayle had thought Liara would never forgive her and Shepard had never felt so close to bottom in her life, except now.

“Liara...” She started; she felt tears in her eyes and fought them back.

“Shh,” Liara said and kissed her shoulder. Using both hands, she drew Cayle back until the Spectre was leaning against her. She held her firmly in one had while the other went for the shampoo. “This is whatever you want it to be, or not to be, Cayle.”

Cayle leaned completely against Liara as the Asari placed the shampoo in her hair, slowly massaging it in. Shepard closed her eyes and let the woman she loved take care of her. She wanted this and she knew Liara needed it. Liara needed to feel in control of something and Cayle needed to know the Asari still loved her.

Slowly and gently Liara continued to bathe the woman she loved, the woman she had fought so hard for over the last five years. She could feel her heart beat in her chest as she touched Shepard, as she massaged the shampoo into her hair and then rinsed it. It was hard, feeling her breast pressed against the Spectre back’s, not to fully embrace her. When she was done with the shampoo she repeated with the conditioner.

Cayle was so quiet Liara could only wonder what she was thinking. She had been through so much in the last five years. She did not have to meld with Shepard to know she was struggling. She knew her lover too well, even if five years had passed since she actually held her.

When Liara finished with Cayle’s hair, her hands moved the human closer, letting her head rest on her shoulder. She ran her hands through Cayle's hair. She was not used to it being short, but it was a small difference. Cayle handed her the sponge after lathering it in body soap and the Asari cleansed her body as she had done her hair. She started at her shoulders then moved down each arm.

She let Cayle stand on her own as she continued, lathering her back and over her buttocks. Her fingers would stop and trail the new scars the Spectre had gained since her last near death experience. She could only imagine how painful and terrifying it had been to wake up under all that debris alone, unable to call for help.

“I am sorry we did not find you first,” Liara whispered and moved in front of the Human, using the sponge to lather her chest and over each breast, resisting the urge to linger. She did, however, let her fingertip trail over the large scar on her stomach. She watched as Shepard twitched, she had always been sensitive there. Liara could not help but smile slightly.

“It’s not your fault, Liara,” Shepard said, looking down as the woman moved to one knee and continued her cleaning. The Asari was quiet as she moved down Cayle’s long legs and to her feet. She bit her lip as she felt the tears threatening.

“I left you twice, Cayle. You died alone, twice, because I left you.” Liara looked up to her and Shepard instantly melted in those big blue eyes. She moved down to her knees to be level with the other woman.

“I didn’t die, Liara, not really; and you were always there to get me back.” Cayle reached out and cupped the Asari’s cheek with her hand, her thumb gently caressing. “And I sent you away, both times. I just,” She paused, unable to look away from her lover. “I would not have been able to,” She took a deep breath. “I don’t know what I would have done knowing that you had died when I could have prevented it. That would have killed me inside.” She tapped her chest.

“I don’t know if I can handle it again.”

Shepard smiled and took a hand in her free one. “I don’t know if I can either. Dying’s not all it’s cracked up to be.” They both laughed. “I don’t think I want to try it again.”

“I would be very happy if you did not.” Liara smiled. Cayle leaned in and kissed her deeply, and Liara responded in kind. She did not need to be melded to know just how much Shepard loved her. It was always more than evident in her soft and warm lips.

They parted and Shepard stood up and held a hand down for Liara. “I’m really tired and I don’t want to be alone.” She helped the Asari to her feet and placed her hands on her waist, pulling her close. Closing her eyes at the sensations their body’s touching sent through her, she spoke softly. “Will you stay with me?”

“Forever,” Liara whispered, “And a day.” 

(((Ok the next part really doesnt enhance the story at all, it's just smut so if you're not into that stop here))

Shepard leaned fully against the Asari as she kissed her, her hands sliding around Liara’s waist and slightly down. With her eyes closed she could actually feel as though she was a part of her lover, like they were two halves of the same being. There’s bodies melded into each other so perfectly, it was almost as if they were made for each other. No one in Cayle’s life had ever fit her like Liara did.

Shepard’s mouth opened as their lips met and she welcomed wandering tongue of her lover, entwining her own with it. She instantly felt the warmth spreading through her body as Liara’s fingers moved through her wet hair and caressing her shoulder. She was more than aware of their naked bodies, their breast pressing against each other, the heat of the shower only matching their own. Her hand slid down to the Asari’s buttocks and squeezed lightly.  
Liara pulled away and smiled and Shepard’s eyes flickered open. “I have dreamt of this moment for five years, Cayle.” She was still whispering, her soft voice made everything that much more fervid. Shepard found that her whispering tone alone was almost enough to send her over the edge. She smiled back as moved to kiss Liara who ducked away, moving behind her.

She pressed her body against Cayle’s back causing the spectre to moan slightly, she absolutely loved the feel of Liara against her back and the Asari was well aware of that. Liara leaned and nipped lightly on Cayle’s shoulder, moving her hands to her stomach, fingers trailing over the scar and smiling as Cayle twitch and squirmed. Liara’s hands slide up slowly and stopped just below Shepard breast. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against Cayle’s neck. She felt tears sting her eye, glad that they mixed with the falling water of the shower. 

Five year, it had been five years since she had last made love to the woman she adored so much. It had been five years since she felt Cayle’s soft skin beneath her fingertips. The emotion was almost overwhelming. Liara took a second to try and control herself.

“Liara?” Cayle whispered as if sensing something might be amiss. She could feel her lover’s hands trembling.

Liara’s hands moved up, one cupping Shepard’s breast the other wrapping around Shepard’s shoulder she lightly nip at Shepard’s neck, suckling. Shepard moaned before she could even think of controlling herself. Liara’s fingers gently caressed her breast, careful to avoid her nipple.

“I’m ok,” She whispered and turned Cayle around, she continued to caress her lover’s breast as their lips met again and Liara pressed until Cayle was directly under the showerhead, back pressed against the wall. Her lips moved down to the Spectres neck and she suckled and bit softly.

“God, yes you are,” Cayle said her eyes closing as her head leaned back, just out of the waters range. Her leg slide up the Asari’s and wrapped around it, her hands resting on Liara’s neck, her thumbs and forefingers moving through her crests, knowing her lover was very sensitive in that area. No one knew her better than the Asari and when Liara stretched up slightly and her tongue flickered over her ear Shepard groaned loudly and squirmed against her lover. She could feel Liara’s hot breath and warm lips and tongue against her lobe and she continued to squirm, the sensations making a direct line downwards.

Just when she thought she could not take much more Liara’s fingertips brushed over her already hard nipple and she groaned again, back arching on its own. She pulled Liara tighter with her leg and pushed her lower half against the Asari’s thigh, grinding. Liara smiled and pulled away she kissed Cayle’s chin and moved to her other ear, nibbling and suckling loving how it made the Spectre body twitch and squirm and most importantly how it made the woman grind against her.

“Liara, you’re killing me,” Shepard half groaned, the words slightly slurring into each other. She could feel the Spectre pushing down on her shoulders, wanting her to go lower, but Liara was not ready to rush. This had been five years in the making. She took Shepard’s wrist and pulled them above her head, forcing them against the wall and kissed Cayle deeply. Her lover’s lips had softened considerably and were trembling with want and desire. 

Liara had a hard time not just giving in and moving to her knees. Instead she held Shepard’s wrist in one of her hands and used the other to cup her lover’s breast, lifting it slightly as she bowed her head to take the hard nipple between her teeth and suckling, stretching it taut and releasing it. She could feel Shepard’s legs begin to tremble. The Spectres soft moans filling her ears like music. Shepard was not exactly a loud lover, but her moans were exquisite. She released Shepard’s hands as her own trailed down; one moving to her hips and the other palming Cayle’s other breast as she continued to suckle on the hard nipple. The falling water filled her mouth and she took a second to push the water out.

Cayle looked down as Liara looked up to her, stretching he nipple again, she couldn’t help t as her hands came down from where Liara had placed the and moved to the Asari. She caressed her lovers face as she continued to suckle on her nipple. Shepard’s back was arched completely and she could feel herself grinding harder against Liara’s thigh. Liara knew how to touch her and caress her and make lover to her so well. She knew just how too far to build her and what boundaries to push, and she was doing so now.  
She watched as Liara bathed her breast with her tongue, feeling it moved just under her breast has a hand now slowly moved over her stomach, her whole body was burning with desire and want. She was no longer in control, her body twitched and shivered and ground into Liara. She could barely remain standing.

As Liara’s lip met her scar, Cayle’s hips thrust forward, as if on their own. Liara moved to her knees, her tongue trailing the length of the scar, she smiled slightly as the Spectre tremble and moved against her. She could already smell Cayle’s arousal, it was all she could smell and she basked in it. She closed her eyes and all the times they were together seem to flash through her thoughts. Again she felt the emotion but held it back as her lip moved down, kissing the tip of Cayle’s desire, lifting her leg up over her shoulder.

Liara hands caressed her lover’s thighs before moving between them to her buttocks, holding her in place, knowing that Shepard was not one to lay still. The Spectre was already grinding wantonly and Liara felt her own desire growing intensely. In inhaled deeply before letting her tongue roll over Shepard’s lips, Liara always thought they looked pouty but they were smooth and slick with water and Cayle’s own juices. Liara savoured her first taste remembering how delicious her lover was.   
Shepard bucked slightly and Liara wrapped her arm around the Spectres thigh and pressed her hand against her hip. She was amazed at just how wet Shepard had gotten. She looked up and found Shepard was looking down to her, her eyes half closed but she could see the love there. She smiled and kissed the tip of her lips again before letting her tongue move over her outer lips, purposely teasing.

Then without warning she melded with Cayle and their desire mixed together. She really did not need to meld to know how Cayle felt she could taste it and feel it as the Spectre moaned. She felt Cayle fingertips in her crest, right in that spot, that on human would be where the ears were. Cayle knew just how caressing that area, especially now, would drive her insane. She pushed her tongue through Cayle’s pouty lips and found her little nub, flicking her tongue over it as she shared the sensations with Cayle.  
Shepard was trembling out of control and Liara helped her to the floor, not wanting her to fall. The spectre leaned against the wall slightly as Liara pulled her closer and let her tongue swirl over the Spectres nub. She used her fingers tips to spread Shepard lips open so she could take the nub between her lips and suckle. As the two became one Shepard arched and they both felt the fire together. Cayle was panting and like every time they melded, she could not figure out how Liara could concentrate on what she was doing. The Asari had her twisted and turned and completely ready to just explode and melt into the floor. She truly felt she was part of the Asari at this moment. They were one in so many ways.

Shepard tried to hold on, to extend the experience as long as possible but when she felt two fingers enter her and curl into her special spot and moaned loudly and her hips bucked upwards. Liara did her best to hold her down but the Asari was also desperate with want and anticipation. She suckled and caressing Shepard’s nub at a feverous pace now as they both felt it. Liara’s fingers moving in and out of Shepard, finding that special spot every time. Just when neither of them could take much more Liara used her thumb and pressed it against Shepard’s tight ass hold, rimming it. She did not even need to insert it as it was more than either of them could take.

She felt Shepard’s hips buck completely out of control as she herself exploded. She felt Shepard spasm against her fingers as the Specter mewed softly, her whole body trembling and bucking. She left her fingers inside of Shepard as the Spectre moved from thrashing to trembling, her little nub still between her lips. Liara took a long moment to recover from her orgasm as did Shepard. 

Shepard pulled Liara up and kissed her, her lips were soft and weak as were the Asari’s. She stood on shaky legs, bringing Liara with her, caressing her cheeks and neck as she did. “Shepard?”

“Shhhh,” the Spectre took a deep breath but they were still melded, Liara could feel she was still recovering but she also sensed what her lover wanted. She smiled and together they moved out of the shower. Still wet but not caring Cayle led her to the bed.

“I love you Liara,” She said as she let the Asari lay down, she moved on top of her, taking a hand in each of her, holding them tightly above the blue aliens head. Gently she kissed Liara, her eyes closed feeling nothing but the love they share, it almost threatened to explode her heart she felt it so strongly and she knew Liara could feel it through their meld. Released one hand and let two fingers softly trail down Liara arm to her shoulder and then her chest, cupping the Asari’s ample breast and swirling her tongue around nipple.

Liara was louder than Cayle and she moaned loudly as Cayle’s tongue and lips embraced her breast and suckled on her nipple. Her back arched wanting Cayle to take more. She felt the Spectre press her thigh tightly against her as Liara could not help but grind against it. Shepard released her other hand and Liara placed both her hands into Cayle’s hair, gripping, trying her best not pull as Shepard mover to the other sensitive breast.

Shepard could never understand how the Asari could concentrate when they were melded. Shepard could only be part of the feeling and it washed over her completely. She was getting better at it, but Liara had mastered it. Shepard moved her hand down and lifted the Asari’s thigh and moved between her legs so they were meshed together. She looked down to her lover and smiled, her fingers caressing her inner thigh as their nubs met and grinded together.

“Goddess Shepard,” She screamed and bit her bottom lip, arching to provide more grind. Cayle moved slowly even though every nerve in both their systems was screaming. Cayle wanted this to last forever if she could. Liara let her fingertip brush over Cayle breast as they made love. Shepard finally bent over grinding stronger and faster, Liara matched her movements as Cayle lips enveloped her and her tongue searched her mouth. They were in heaven, both a part of each other. This was the moment Liara had thought of for five years. They were one, melded completely.

It came to a point where Shepard was not even sure if she was moaning or Liara was moaning as the fire consumed them so completely. She could feel Liara’s hand in her hair and on her shoulder. She reached up and took them in hers and looked down into her lover’s eyes and the came together, body’s jerking, hips flailing together. She continued to hold Liara’s hands, her lips just gracing Liara’s as they both panted and slowly recovered. Shepard tried to hide the fact that the emotion of the moment totally caught her but she had tears in her eyes. She loved this woman so totally and completely, there was nothing else as important her.

“You are so beautiful,” Liara whispered, their lips still millimeters away from each other. Shepard blushed slightly; she could fill herself still in the aftershock, tremors causing them to rub together. She knew she was probably soaking her lover in her juices.

“I’m sorry I was gone for so long, Liara.” She said, she was always emotional after, it was probably what Liara loved the most.

“Shhhh, you’re back now and, yeah, making up for lost time,” She reached up and pushed the tears away even though she felt them herself.

Shepard finally collapsed on top of her, they were still completely entwined. Liara placed her forehead on Shepard’s and held her in her arms. “I love you Cayle Shepard, always.”


End file.
